NBA, Others Condemn EFCC Over Rickey Tarfa’s Arrest

The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA and senior lawyers in the country, have condemned the recent arrest and continued detention of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Rickey-Tarfa, SAN, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, since Friday without releasing him on bail.

Former President of the NBA, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, commenting on the issue said; “I think that this is an unfortunate development, a situation where lawyers are arrested in court while performing their lawful duties, this must be condemned in unequivocal terms. However, this is the work of an agency, no government can allow this, especially when you have a senior lawyer, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria as the Vice-President, the government will do its best to avoid such things. It is the work of overzealous agents, we will call on the Vice-President to intervene and ensure his release.

“Since the NBA President has intervened, they should release him to NBA President for him to appear on Monday to answer to whatever charges they have against him. He is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, he cannot jump bail, this is utter disregard for the rule of law and the sanctity of the legal profession guaranteed by the Constitution.”

Another former President of the NBA, Mr. Joseph Bodunrin Daudu, SAN, said: “Well, you see, this is what we face with the current EFCC. Let’s get the facts straight, all of us who are defending accused persons are now endangered species, all of us are being investigated by the EFCC, so we are all waiting for the day they will come and carry us.”

Reacting, the law firm, Rickey Tarfa & Co. in a statement signed by its Partner and Head of Chambers, Mr. John Olusegun Odubela, said: “It is germane to state that the matter before the court has no bearing with corruption related issue. It is purely between a husband and wife struggling for the control of a manufacturing company they jointly promoted. It is purely a matrimonial issue that went sour.”

Recall that lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) from Adamawa State, Rickey Tarfa, was last week arrested by the EFCC in Lagos for obstruction. A source at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja told revealed that Tarfa had allegedly obstructed officers of the commission from performing their duties by allegedly preventing the arrest of an individual, who has a case to answer with the anti-graft agency.