The Rivers State Government has threatened legal action against the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) following the latter’s claim that ₦300 million received from the state was a non-refundable gift and not tied to hosting rights for the NBA’s 2025 Annual General Conference (AGC).
In a strongly worded statement issued on Tuesday by the Senior Special Assistant on Media to the state government, Hector Igbikiowubo, the government insisted that the payment was explicitly made in exchange for the hosting rights of the NBA’s 2025 AGC in Rivers State.
“The Rivers State Government outrightly rejects the NBA’s recent allegation that the ₦300 million payment made by the state was a ‘gift’ unrelated to hosting rights for the NBA AGC 2025,” the statement said.
According to Igbikiowubo, the payment was made in good faith, with the understanding that bringing the prestigious legal conference to Rivers would yield significant economic and social benefits for the state and its residents.
He added, “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 government has now vowed to initiate legal proceedings should the NBA fail to refund the said amount immediately. “Failure of the NBA to refund the ₦300 million will compel the implementation of all legal means to recover the property of the good people of Rivers State,” the statement read.
While reaffirming its commitment to collaborations with professional bodies, the state government made it clear that such partnerships must be based on mutual respect and accountability. “We will not accommodate exploitation of our people and the Rivers State Government,” it concluded.
The NBA had earlier maintained that the funds were a non-refundable goodwill donation, a position now firmly contested by the Rivers State Government. The controversy follows recent tension over the NBA’s decision to move its 2025 AGC from Rivers to another state.
