He was sentenced to prison on Wednesday, July 27 by the Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom State, Justice Ekaette Obot, for one month over what she described as “confrontational and contemptuous behaviour” in court.
The African Action Congress (AAC) has said it will commence nationwide mass action over the continued incarceration of human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong in Akwa Ibom.
He was sentenced to prison on Wednesday, July 27 by the Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom State, Justice Ekaette Obot, for one month over what she described as “confrontational and contemptuous behaviour” in court.
Justice Obot before ordering the conviction warrant of Inibehe said she had run out of patience with the "excesses and unruly behaviours" of the embattled lawyer who is the defence counsel for Barr Leo Ekpenyong.
The party in a statement on Sunday signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Femi Adeyeye said it would mobilise all its members across the country to embark on protests until the lawyer is released from prison.
The party described the action of the judge as shameless and disturbing, saying it has become a trend in the country for lawyers not to find the theatre of their profession safe anymore.
Adeyeye recalled the similar case of illegal incarceration of Abubakar Marshal of Falana and Falana Chambers who was also sent to Keffi Prison by an Area Court Magistrate for defending his client a few months ago,
The party said judges must be stopped from being used as tools to settle political scores.
The statement read, "The National Working Committee of the African Action Congress in reacting to the statement released by the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr Olumide Akpata Esq, wishes to, first of all, thank the leadership of the association for the actions taken so far, since the ignominy the legal profession was thrown into by the tyrannical and unconstitutional acts of the Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom State, Mrs Ekaette Obot.
"This shameless act has become a disturbing trend in our judiciary. In present-day Nigeria, lawyers do not find the theatre of their profession safe anymore. Recall that just a few months ago, Abubakar Marshal of Falana and Falana Chambers was also sent to Keffi Prison by an Area Court Magistrate, just for defending his client.
"Judges must be stopped from being used as tools to settle political scores. Where is the independence of the judiciary under the Buhari regime?
"In addition to all legal efforts of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA); we urge the reverred association to take up massive campaigns against this alarming ugly trend subsequently.
"Our party would therefore commence our own political actions to #FreeInibeheNow as we are tired of watching this judicial rascality continue. By this statement and other memos, the National Working Committee is setting into motion all structures nationwide to kick-start political actions, petitions to the National Judicial Council and massive protests to strategic political points until our Comrade is released."