The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Ibok-Ete Ibas, has threatened to sue the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) over the N300 million paid to the association by the administration of Siminalayi Fubara.
In a press release issued on Monday and signed by the state’s Senior Special Assistant on Media, Hector Igbikiowubo, the government described the NBA’s claim that the N300 million was a “gift” as “outrightly rejected,” insisting the payment was made in exchange for hosting rights for the 2025 conference.
“The Rivers State Government’s records show that the payment of ₦300 million to the NBA was made with the mutual understanding that Rivers State would host the 2025 edition of the NBA AGC,” the statement read.
The government emphasized that the agreement was entered into in good faith, with the expectation that the AGC would generate “significant economic benefits” and boost local businesses in the state. It accused the NBA of breaching this mutual understanding through its unilateral relocation of the event and refusal to return the funds.
“The NBA’s unilateral decision to relocate the AGC 2025 against our mutual understanding and subsequent decision to withhold the ₦300 million paid for the purpose of hosting the NBA AGC 2025 in Rivers State is unethical and amounts to a breach of trust,” the statement continued.
Igbikiowubo further warned that failure to refund the amount would result in the state government taking legal steps to recover “the property of the good people of Rivers State.”
This development comes amid heightened tensions between the NBA and the Rivers administration, which has faced a series of political crises following the declaration of a state of emergency and the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.