Amid crisis that broke out at the annual conference of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr Yakubu Maikyau (SAN), was on Friday sworn in to take over the mantle of leadership of the association from Mr Olumide Akpata, whose two-year tenure came to an end on Friday.
Maikyau, who was sworn in as the 31st President of the NBA, had in July emerged winner of the NBA presidential election.
In his speech,the new NBA President commended his predecessor, Akpata, for the giant strides recorded by the NBA in the last two years.
While expressing displeasure against the spate of banditry, kidnapping, killings and cattle rustling bedeviling the country, Maikyau urged the Federal Government to show commitment to the protection of lives and properties in the country.
He said, “The Nigerian state is passing through a perilous time. There is the insecurity challenge and the situation appears so overwhelming.
“Many Nigerians live below poverty line. There has been no time that Nigerians have looked towards the Bar than now. Nigerians have been so terrorised, pauperised and traumatized; what is left of this country is the voice of the legal profession. This voice of the legal profession must speak against the terror in the land and this is the charge that my administration will spearhead.”
He urged his fellow learned colleagues to uphold the integrity of judiciary institution in Nigeria.
“The legal practitioners must do all that is within our ability to serve the cause of justice during the forthcoming general election in 2023.
“While we shall stand with the cause and do everything to protect the interest of the bench, we will also not hesitate to call our erring lawyers as well as the bench to order,” he said.
57-years old SAN from Kebbi State was sworn in on Friday at the close of activities marking the 62nd Annual General Conference of the association held at Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.