The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has come out to strongly debunk rumors suggesting that a $2,000 “attendance fee” was distributed to certain Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) during a recent gathering in Maiduguri, Borno State. The legal body dismissed the claims as entirely baseless and warned that such unfounded allegations are merely attempts to tarnish the reputation of the Bar’s leadership.
According to high-level sources at the NBA national secretariat who spoke with Reports, there is absolutely no record of funds being shared among any category of members. Whether referring to senior advocates, branch officers, or young lawyers, the association maintains that no such payments were authorized or executed during the engagement in the Borno State capital.
One official source clarified to Reports that there is zero documentary evidence to support the idea that the Borno State government handed out cash on behalf of the NBA. The source pointed out that if such a transaction had occurred, there would be a payment voucher, a government disbursement schedule, or at least a clear budgetary head under which the money was processed. To date, none of these documents exist because the alleged payments never happened.
Addressing the financial transparency of the organization, the secretariat noted that a thorough review of the association’s accounts shows no transaction reflecting the rumored $2,000 gift. The financial records remain clear, proving that no funds belonging to the NBA were diverted, misapplied, or shared among members of the Inner Bar or any association officers.
The rumors also touched on the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held in the state. Sources clarified that while the state governor attended a cocktail reception for the lawyers, he was actually on leave at the time and did not address the group or make any financial declarations. There was no announcement of any cash gifts to the Bar members during the event.
The NBA is now urging those spreading these claims to provide actual proof rather than relying on hearsay. Officials noted that if public funds were indeed involved, the facts could easily be verified through a Freedom of Information Act request. Since no such evidence has been produced, the association maintains that the integrity of the Bar should not be judged based on political convenience or mere conjecture.
