Kelvin Okorie, a lawyer who had been detained by the Nigerian Navy and subsequently transferred to police custody, has been released following the intervention of the National Litigation Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the association’s president, Mazi Afam Osigwe SAN.
Okorie had been granted bail by the vacation court of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on January 2, 2025, in the sum of ₦10 million with one surety in like sum. The bail conditions were met with the assistance of activist Deji Adeyanju, a member of the NBA’s Civil Liberties Committee.
Prior to Okorie’s release, NBA President Mazi Afam Osigwe had made a formal demand for his immediate release during a high-level meeting with the Chief of Defence Staff on January 7, 2025. Osigwe emphasized that if Okorie was to be accused of any crime, he should be formally charged in court.
The NBA’s National Litigation Committee played a crucial role in ensuring Okorie’s release, with members B.O. Nafagha, Israel Elijah, and the committee’s secretary, Isah Abubakar Aliyu, present at the police station during the event. Mr. Aliyu confirmed that Okorie has been reunited with his family.
Okorie had been in detention since September 10, 2024, following his arrest by the Nigerian Navy and subsequent transfer to the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA). His prolonged detention without trial had raised concerns about constitutional breaches.
The legal team, led by senior lawyers Kunle Edun, SAN, Vincent Adodo, Esq and Samuel Ihensekhien Jnr., had filed an Originating Motion for the enforcement of Okorie’s fundamental rights, supported by a Motion Exparte seeking interim reliefs for bail pending the determination of the substantive application.
The NBA’s swift and effective intervention in this matter underscores the association’s commitment to defending legal rights, upholding the rule of law, and ensuring that due process is followed in Nigeria.
