The leadership crisis rocking the Owerri Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) escalated on Saturday, October 10, 2026, after police officers allegedly barricaded the entrance to the Branch’s Bar Centre, preventing Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), former branch chairmen and other members from accessing the venue of a scheduled Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM).
According to a former Secretary of the branch, Mr. Chinedu Agu, approximately 18 police officers were deployed to secure the entrance to the Magistrates’ Court premises, where the NBA Owerri Bar Centre is located, leaving members who had gathered for the meeting stranded outside the locked gate.
The incident has raised concerns among members over the exercise of their rights under the Branch’s governing rules amid a protracted leadership dispute involving the Branch Chairman, Dr. Mazi Udegbulem.
The development followed an alleged oral directive issued on Wednesday, October 7, by the a very senior Registrar of the High Court of Imo State instructing security personnel at the Magistrates’ Court premises not to grant access to the facility on weekends, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Members who arrived at the premises on Saturday reportedly found the gate secured with a padlock, while the security personnel ordinarily stationed at the entrance were absent.
The meeting had been convened by members following allegations of misappropriation and mismanagement of Branch funds against Dr. Udegbulem. The allegations have contributed to the growing tension within the Branch.
According to the account provided by the meeting’s organisers, 183 financially up-to-date members formally submitted a requisition for an Extraordinary General Meeting to the Chairman on October 2, 2026.
The requisitionists reportedly proceeded to schedule the meeting for October 10 after the Chairman failed to direct the Branch Secretary to convene it within the stipulated seven-day period. They cited Article 11(5) of the NBA Uniform Bye-Law as the basis for their decision.
However, the planned meeting could not proceed as scheduled following the closure of the premises and the deployment of police officers.
The circumstances surrounding the blockade have prompted allegations that security and court authorities were used to frustrate the gathering. Some members have questioned the justification for preventing lawyers from accessing their professional association’s meeting venue to deliberate on matters affecting the Branch.
The allegations linking the Chairman to the deployment of police personnel and the reported directive from the said senior Registrar have not been independently established.
Despite the heavy security presence and a directive reportedly issued by the Commissioner of Police on Friday, October 9, members remained gathered outside the locked gate under the scorching sun, demanding an explanation for their inability to access the premises.
Those present included Senior Advocates of Nigeria, former Branch chairmen and secretaries, eminent senior lawyers and other members of the Association.
Addressing the gathering, a former Chairman of the Branch, Dec Madu, commended the members for their courage, solidarity and commitment to accountability.
Madu subsequently announced that the Extraordinary General Meeting had been rescheduled for Thursday, October 15, 2026.
Journalists at the scene interviewed some members and documented the proceedings before the gathering eventually dispersed.
According to Agu, the incident has added a new dimension to the ongoing dispute within NBA Owerri, shifting attention beyond the allegations surrounding the management of Branch funds to questions about members’ rights to convene meetings under the Association’s rules.
It has also raised concerns about the circumstances in which public security personnel and court facilities may be involved in disputes concerning the internal affairs of a professional association.
For an organisation whose members are charged with upholding the rule of law, the denial of access to a scheduled meeting involving senior legal practitioners has become a source of controversy.
As the new date approaches, attention is likely to focus on whether the rescheduled meeting will proceed without obstruction and whether the outstanding allegations concerning the Branch’s leadership and financial management will be addressed through the Association’s established procedures.
The leadership crisis within NBA Owerri therefore remains unresolved, with members continuing to press for accountability and the opportunity to exercise their rights under the Branch’s governing rules.