The human rights lawyer says speakers invited to address lawyers on national security must have contributed meaningfully to the country’s security architecture.
Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has questioned the decision of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to invite social media influencer Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, as a panellist at its 66th Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State .
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Thursday, Falana argued that discussions on national security at an NBA conference should feature individuals with established professional experience in the country’s security sector . He stated that past NBA conferences were not “circus shows” but platforms for intellectual engagement with individuals who had “paid their dues” .
The Senior Advocate said, “So, if you are bringing in an expert to discuss the security of the country, either from the private or public sector, such an individual must have contributed to the security architecture of the country” . He likened the decision to inviting someone without relevant professional experience to address media practitioners on press freedom .
CDA News Nigeria gathered that VeryDarkMan, who spoke at a panel session titled “Known Gunmen or Unknown Gunmen,” alleged during his appearance that some police officers stationed at checkpoints along major highways identify wealthy travellers and relay information about their movements to kidnappers, thereby facilitating abductions for ransom .
The Nigeria Police Force has rejected the allegation as unsubstantiated and challenged Otse to provide evidence to support his claim . Force Public Relations Officer CSP Ani Iniedu assured that any credible information would be investigated .
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