In Defence of the Rule of Law: NBA Lagos Branch and Aare Olumuyiwa Akinboro, SAN, Stand Firm Against Oppression.

In Defence of the Rule of Law: NBA Lagos Branch and Aare Olumuyiwa Akinboro, SAN, Stand Firm Against Oppression. 

When institutions stray from the path of legality, the responsibility of lawyers as guardians of justice becomes even more pronounced. 

In recent days, the Nigerian Navy’s illegal designation of Vice Admiral Dada Olaniyi Labinjo (Rtd.) as a "deserter" has stirred deep concern across the legal community and beyond. What ought to be an institution that exemplifies discipline and respect for lawful authority has instead, by this act, descended into contempt for the judiciary and the Rule of Law.

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Lagos Branch, under the leadership of Uchenna Ogunedo Akingbade, Esq., rose swiftly and firmly to condemn the Navy’s actions. 

In a detailed press statement, the Branch made it clear that the classification of Vice Admiral Labinjo as a deserter was not only false but also contemptuous of the judgment of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, which had conclusively affirmed his lawful retirement as far back as April 2017. 

The Branch called on the Navy to immediately retract its signal of September 3, 2025, and warned against further violations of judicial authority.

But the Lagos Branch has not stood alone in this fight. Aare Olumuyiwa Akinboro, SAN, FCIArb (UK), FCIMC, Life Bencher, in a strong show of solidarity, aligned himself with the Lagos Branch, amplifying their stance. In his own statement, Aare Akinboro described the Navy’s act *as a "reckless abuse of state power"* and a "brazen defiance of the judiciary." He commended the courage of the NBA Lagos Branch while reminding Nigerians that this battle is larger than one man, it is about protecting every citizen against the creeping dangers of arbitrariness.

Both voices, distinct yet united, underscore a common truth: no institution, no matter how powerful, is above the law. By standing together, the NBA Lagos Branch and Aare Akinboro demonstrate the very essence of the Bar, to speak truth to power, defend the oppressed, and safeguard the constitutional order.

And now, words are being matched with action. In a decisive move, the NBA Lagos Branch will today take its stance from the pages of press statements to the streets of Lagos, in a peaceful protest demanding compliance with the judgment of the National Industrial Court. 

This protest is more than solidarity with Vice Admiral Labinjo (Rtd.); it is a public affirmation that the Bar will never stand idle in the face of oppression.

In the face of injustice, silence is not an option. The Lagos Branch and Aare Akinboro have chosen courage over complicity. Their call is not just for the protection of Vice Admiral Labinjo’s rights but for the preservation of the Rule of Law itself, the cornerstone of Nigeria’s fragile democracy.

History will remember moments like this, when lawyers stood firm, not for privilege, but for principle. 

The question now is whether the Nigerian Navy will retrace its steps and submit to the authority of the courts, or whether it will persist down a dangerous road that undermines both its own integrity and the nation’s democratic foundations.

One thing is certain: the Bar has spoken, and it has spoken with one voice, through its statements, its solidarity, and its action.