By Raphael Ogbonnaiye
The Joint Committee of Ekiti Bar, have decided to boycott the court
for one week over the killing of one of their member, Mr. Adeola Adebayo, who
was also the secretary of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikole
Branch.
The lawyers conveyed the notice of boycott of the courts in a letter
dated December 3, 2018, and signed by Mr. Temidayo Akeredolu, Secretary
of the Joint Committee of Ekiti Bar.
The lawyers addressed the letter to the Chief Registrar, Ekiti State
Judiciary, and made its copies available to the Chief Judge, all
Judges, all Magistrates, and all Customary Court Presidents.
The letter entitled: “Re: Kidnap and Eventual Killing of Adeola
Adebayo Esq, Notice of Boycott of all Courts in Ekiti State” explained
that the action of the lawyers was “on the authorisation and approval
of the Joint Committee of Ekiti Bar.”
They noted that a street protest was organised on Monday, December 3rd
“to request for immediate arrest and prosecution of the bloodthirsty
harbingers of death that kidnapped and killed Adeola Adebayo.”
They had marched to the governor’s office, the Ekiti police command
headquarters and the office of the Department of State Services (DSS)
and had delivered a letter to the various authorities in which their
demand for the arrest and prosecution of the bandits we stressed.
They said the boycott was in furtherance to the street protest, saying
“all lawyers unanimously at a congress which took place after the
protest, resolved to stay away/boycott all courts for one week
starting from the 4th of December, 2018.”
“This is to further drive home our request as stated above and to also
demand that the government should take responsibility for the security of
lives and property.”
Adeola Adebayo was kidnapped in November 17th and his decomposed body
was found on December 1, after they said they had paid a ransom
amounting to millions of Naira.
