THE Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has firmly dismissed allegations that $2,000 was distributed to some Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) as an “attendance fee” during its recent engagement in Maiduguri, describing the claim as baseless and unsupported by any evidence.
The controversy, which surfaced shortly after the association’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Borno State, sparked widespread debate within legal and public circles, with insinuations that dollar-denominated payments were made to certain senior members of the Bar.
However, in a statement sent to News Point Nigeria on Thursday by its National Secretariat, the NBA categorically denied receiving or authorising the distribution of any such funds.
“The Association neither received nor authorised the distribution of any such sum,” the secretariat stated.
According to the NBA, there is no documentary proof to support the allegation that the Borno State Government paid $2,000 to any group on behalf of the association.
“There is no payment voucher, no government schedule of disbursement, no official list of beneficiaries issued by any state authority, and no identifiable budgetary head under which such a payment could have been processed,” the statement maintained.
The association argued that the claim unfairly casts aspersions on the integrity of its leadership and senior members, warning against the spread of unverified information capable of damaging reputations.
The NBA President, Afam Osigwe (SAN), also addressed the allegation, insisting that no NBA funds were diverted, misapplied, or shared during the Maiduguri engagement.
A review of the association’s financial records, he noted, showed no transaction reflecting the alleged $2,000 disbursement.
Osigwe further clarified speculation surrounding the NEC meeting, explaining that although the Governor of Borno State attended a cocktail reception organised as part of the event, he neither addressed the gathering nor made any financial presentation.
The NBA emphasised that attendance at official functions does not automatically translate into financial inducements, dismissing suggestions of impropriety as unfounded.
The association stated that any allegation involving public funds could be independently verified through lawful channels, including formal inquiries or requests under the Freedom of Information Act.
However, it stressed that no such evidence has been produced to substantiate the $2,000 claim.
Despite the uproar, the NBA maintained that its books remain clean and that its leadership acted in full compliance with its rules and ethical standards.