A heated exchange has erupted between Bayo Onanuga, a presidential aide, and Aloy Ejimakor, counsel to Nnamdi Kanu, over Ejimakor’s participation in the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow demonstration in Abuja Yesterday October 20th.
Onanuga publicly criticised Ejimakor, saying it was unbecoming for a lawyer involved in ongoing legal proceedings to join public protests related to the same matter. He maintained that the move breached the principle of sub judice, which restrains commentary or action on cases under judicial consideration.
He described the protest as “shambolic” and implied that Ejimakor had resorted to extra-legal tactics instead of focusing on legal defence. Onanuga urged the Nigerian Bar Association and relevant legal bodies to investigate Ejimakor’s conduct, arguing that it could undermine professional ethics and public trust in the legal process.
The protest was organised by supporters demanding the release of Kanu, who is facing treason and other charges in court. Security operatives responded by dispersing the gathering, using tear gas and other crowd control measures.
In reaction, some commentators questioned whether Onanuga’s criticism distracts from substantive issues — such as the legality of Kanu’s detention and rights issues — and whether lawyers can ever ethically engage with public sentiment when their clients are involved in high-profile cases.
