Wednesday, November 12, 2025 - A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Kunle Edun on Wednesday said the conduct of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Barr. Nyesom Wike against a Naval officer, Lt. AM Yerima was an “assault” on the dignity and nobility of the legal profession.
He noted that the Naval Officer has a right to initiate
civil action against Wike for defamation and the unjustified public insult.
Edun said, “A life Bencher, a lawyer calling a military
officer dressed in the Nigerian Navy uniform a fool. I cannot believe it. Not
even a little respect for the uniform.”
According to Edun, “Wike’s conduct was an assault on the
dignity and nobility of the legal profession.”
He said, “In the recent Direction of the LPDC in the case of
John Aikpokop-Martins v. Danladi Umar (former Chairman of the CCT), the LPDC
held that it has jurisdiction to try any matter outside professional matters,
where the legal Practitioner behaved in a manner that is unbecoming of a lawyer
in a sane society. Publicly calling a military man a fool is a conduct
unbecoming of a legal Practitioner.
“I have advocated and advised each NBA administration to
consider setting up the office of a Prosecutor-General whose main duty would be
to investigate and prosecute lawyers who violate our ethical Rules, without
necessarily waiting for petitions.
“The young officer has a right to initiate civil action
against Wike for defamation and the unjustified public insult. Wike insulted a
national symbol, the military uniform.”
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