The outgoing Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu yesterday inaugurated 30 new Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN) amidst tight security in spite of the directive of the Nigerian Bar Association, directing its members and the new SANs to stay away from the ceremony or risk sanction.
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The security situation was further beefed up with the news of bomb blast at the United Nations Building in Abuja.
The NBA had earlier warned the new silks that whoever its directive would not be recognised and also stripped of privileges.
But Katsina-Alu had defied ignored the NBA and proceeded to administer the oath of allegiance on the new 30 SANs at the main court of Supreme Court in Abuja.
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Apparently taking issues with the NBA in his speech after administering the oath of allegiance on new SANs, Katsina-Alu admonished them to refrain from engaging “in useless arguments with their colleagues” as he reminded them that the legal profession is an honourable one and must be respected.
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He also said that they were now the leaders of the Bar and that they should strive to live above board and assist the judiciary to move forward.
Giving the Almighty God the Glory, the outgoing CJN recalled that before yesterday some groups of people had threatened that the swearing in of the SANs would not hold, noting that the good God had blessed the day, saying that “It is the Lord’s doing and it is marvellous in our eyes”.
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Speaking at the occasion, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed