Abuja, Nigeria – The Presidency has called on legal regulatory authorities to sanction Barrister Aloy Ejimakor, one of the lawyers representing the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, over his participation in a public protest demanding Kanu’s release.
The appeal was made by Mr. Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Information and Strategy, who expressed disapproval of Ejimakor’s action through a post on his X (formerly Twitter) handle.
Onanuga stated that it was improper for a lawyer representing a client in an ongoing case to join a protest related to that same case, describing the act as “a breach of professional ethics.”
“I spotted Aloy Ejimakor, one of Nnamdi Kanu’s lawyers, among the small group of protesters mobilised in Abuja by Omoyele Sowore. His participation violates the sub judice rule,” Onanuga wrote.
He further noted that since the prosecution had closed its case, the focus should now be on legal arguments within the courtroom, not activism on the streets.
Onanuga urged the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) to review Ejimakor’s conduct and take appropriate disciplinary measures if found guilty of professional misconduct.
Meanwhile, the protest in Abuja, tagged #FreeNnamdiKanuNow, was organized by rights activist Omoyele Sowore and drew the attention of security agencies, leading to brief confrontations and arrests.
Ejimakor has yet to issue an official response to the Presidency’s call for sanctions as of press time.
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