MY STATEMENT AS IT RELATES TO LEGAL REPRESENTATION OF MR CHIDIEBERE JUSTICE MARK AND THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE MOTION FOR BAIL EARLIER FILED BY MARSHAL ABUBAKAR, ESQ.
I have viewed and listened to the interview granted by Marshal Abubakar, Esq, activists and supporters as it relates to my legal representation of Mr. Chidiebere Justice Mark at the Federal High Court on the 14th day of May 2026 and I wish to state that the narrative presented to the media is substantially comprised of half-truths orchestrated to mislead the general public on what actually transpired in court.
Mr Chidiebere Justice Mark (herein referred to as Justice Mark) is my friend and we have maintained a cordial relationship since 2020.
I was called upon by the family of Justice Mark on the 29th day of April 2026 to provide legal assistance for his release upon his arrest by men of the Nigerian Army on the 28th day of April 2026.
Pursuant to the instruction from his family, I wrote a letter of demand to the Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Intelligence for his immediate release. The letters are dated 29th April, 2026 and received on 30th April, 2026.
On the 3rd day of May 2026, we got hints that Justice Mark would be charged to court and I was instructed by his family to join the legal team headed by Prof. Sam Amadi, to provide legal representation whenever he is being charged to court.
On the 4th day of May 2026, Justice Mark’s legal team consisting of Clement Chukwuemeka Ugo, Esq (immediate past 2nd Vice President of the Nigerian Bar Association), Marshal Abubakar, Esq, Wayne and myself met in court. Mr. Clement Chukwuemeka Ugo, Esq popularly known as Democrat was expected to lead the legal team being the most senior amongst us. However, Marshal Abubakar, Esq insisted on leading despite being our junior at the Bar.
Democrat allowed Marshal Abubakar, Esq to lead inorder to avert disagreement amongst the legal team. In the course of proceedings, Marshal Abubakar, Esq became confrontational with the Hon Judge. A conduct which is unethical and ridicles the same temple of justice which we all look forward to for justice. The matter was then adjourned to the 25th day of May 2026 for hearing.
Marshal Abubakar, Esq and Wayne undertook to prepare and file a bail application on behalf of the legal team and same was filed on the 4th day of May 2026. The application for abridgment of time to hear the bail application was prepared in the letter head of Marshal Abubakar, Esq and I signed it with the believe that it was a team work geared at achieving a common goal.
Upon filing the bail application, Marshal Abubakar, Esq refused to release a copy of the bail application to the legal team. We later found out that the motion for bail contained the names of 15 Lawyers without our names included, i.e. Prof. Sam Amadi, Democrat and Oluwafemi Balogun.
Due to the confrontational attitude of Marshal Abubakar, Esq, Justice Mark and his family instructed Prof. Sam Amadi to lead the legal team and I should lead in his absence. The presiding judge before whom the matter is pending magnanimously granted our application for abrigment of time to argue the pending bail application on the 14th day of May 2026.
On the 14th day of May 2026, one Femi, Esq representing Marshal Abubakar, Esq informed the legal team that he had the instruction of Marshal Abubakar, Esq to lead the legal team. I objected and directed him to Justice Mark who confirmed that he would prefer I lead the proceeding. Out of courtesy, I sent messages via Whatsapp to Marshal at about 9:07am and 9:09am to inform him that I have been directed to lead the team. The whatsapp messages were read by Marshal Abubakar, Esq and at about 9:14am or thereabout, he entered the court room. I believed Femi, Esq informed him of the decision.
When the case was called, Marshal Abubakar, Esq and I stood up to annnounce appearance for the Defendant (Justice Mark). The Court requested to know who the Defendant counsel was and the Defendant said we are both his counsel, but he would prefer me to lead the team.
Marshal Abubakar, Esq was visibly angry and told me not to announce his name and that of his colleagues. After I entered appearance alongside Wayne Esq, Marshal stood up to withdraw his appearance and withdrew the bail application earlier filed on the basis that he filed same. The application for withdrawal of processes filed by Marshal Abubakar, Esq was granted despite my plea to the court to allow us move rely on the motion for bail. The matter was then adjourned to the 18th day of May 2026 for hearing of a fresh bail application.
It must be noted that upon the withdrawal of appearance by Marshal Abubakar, Esq, he had no right of audience before the court and ought not to make any application including the application for the withdrawal of the motion for the bail of the Defendant. The vindictive conduct of Marshal Abubakar, Esq is a breach of the professional ethics for lawyers and also tells much about his person.
It must also be noted that Marshal Abubakar, Esq was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2015 while I was called in 2014. Marshal is my junior and it is an anomaly for a junior to lead a senior, except the senior consent to such appearance. I have viewed the media interview granted by Marshal Abubakar, Esq where he said and I quote “I am his far far senior” and I challenge him to prove same. His conduct has clearly shown his interest in the case is to gain social media patronage as opposed to getting justice for our beloved brother, Justice Mark.
A counsel must never see a matter of public interest as an opportunity to win media and public acceptance. Rather, it must be treated with utmost diligence, professionalism, and with recourse to the legitimate interest of the client”
The legal representation from the legal team is pro bono. The common interest of the legal team is to secure the release of the Defendant in the interest of justice and we strongly believe in our justice system and the person of the judge before whom the matter is pending. As a well bred litigation lawyer, I was trained to respect the court and the ethics of the legal profession and that I will always do no matter the propaganda on social media by my learned friend, Marshall Abubakar, Esq targeted at earning himself the status of an hero while in reality he is the reason why the proceedings of the 14th day of May 2026 suffered a setback.
Ginetta Sagan once said that “Silence in the face of injustice is complicity with the oppressor”. I urge Nigerians to support us with prayers for the release of our dear friend and brother, Chidiebere Justice Mark.
God Bless Nigeria.
