NBA to boycott Kebbi courts for 21 days, blame Yan Sakai

The Birnin Kebbi branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has resolved to boycott all courts in the state following alleged unlawful activities of local vigilante group, Yan Sakai, in Zuru Emirate.

In a communiqué signed by the branch chairman, Kabiru Aliyu, and the secretary, Aminu Hassan, after an emergency congress in Birnin Kebbi, the lawyers accused the Yan Sakai group of land grabbing, abduction, torture and threat to kill, among others.

The congress followed incessant attacks on lawyers and judges in the state by suspected Yan Sakai members.

“The ‘Yan Sakai is an armed ethnic militia in Zuru Emirate established as a vigilante group with the sole objective of curtailing the activities of bandits, abductors and cattle rustlers in the emirate. However, the group has no regulations to guide and control its activities. Therefore, the group has metamorphosed into something else, thereby usurping the powers of constituted authority by arresting, investigating, adjudicating and carrying out extra-judicial executions. The group sits on appeal to cases already adjudicated upon by the High Court and Court of Appeal.

“Sequel to incessant complaints against activities of the group, the Yan Sakai communicated through Zuru Emirate Council that they would abstain from interfering with Administration of Justice but have reneged in the undertaking,” the NBA noted.

Based on the activities of the group, NBA concluded that the lives of its members, judges, judicial staff and litigants are in grave danger.

“Therefore, the association hereby, in strong terms, condemn such acts of lawlessness and resolved that lawyers throughout the state will from February 3 to 24, 2021 boycott all courts in the state to express our dismay on the lingering issue.

“We call on the Federal Government, Kebbi State Government and Zuru Emirate Council to address the impasse forthwith,” the lawyers added.