A former Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Owerri Branch, Professor Mazi Udegbulem, has filed notices to discontinue court cases instituted against members of the branch, a financial probe committee and the association’s registered trustees.
The development has drawn calls for further action to account for funds allegedly mismanaged during his tenure, with former Branch Secretary, Chinedu Agu, insisting that withdrawing the cases must be followed by full financial restitution.
Three notices of discontinuance, dated November 12 and 13, 2026, were made available in connection with the proceedings.
The first concerned Suit No. HOG/86/2026 before the High Court of Imo State, Oguta Judicial Division, sitting at Umuokanne. Udegbulem had instituted the action against Chukwuemeka E. Anyanwu, Olebara Oguguo Paschal, Godwin Ikechukwu Umar and Asilonu Darlington, who were sued for themselves and on behalf of NBA Owerri members supporting the removal of the branch chairman.
The second notice related to Suit No. HAM/199/2026 at the High Court of Imo State, Ahiazu Judicial Division. The case involved Chidi B. Nworka, chairman of the committee set up to investigate the disbursement of a ₦100 million donation from the Imo State Government, and the NBA Registered Trustees.
The third notice was filed at the Federal High Court, Owerri, in Suit No. FHC/OW/CS/120/2026. The defendants included the NBA Registered Trustees, Nworka and Victoria Chioma Joshua Monye, who were sued in connection with the five-member investigative committee constituted on October 15, 2026.
The notices indicated that the plaintiff intended to discontinue each of the three suits in its entirety.
Although Agu referred to four cases in his reaction, the documents accompanying his article contained only three notices. The fourth case was not identified in the materials provided.
Agu demands financial accountability
Reacting to the withdrawals, Agu described the decision as commendable but said it did not amount to complete restitution.
In a statement titled “Now That the Four Suits Have Been Discontinued, Next Is Restitution,” dated November 15, he called for an independent professional audit of the branch’s finances and the establishment of a recovery committee to retrieve any money found to have been misappropriated.
Agu said the withdrawal of the cases had generated different interpretations among lawyers, with some viewing the move as an acknowledgment that the suits had become unnecessary following the impeachment of the former chairman and presentation of the investigative committee’s report.
He, however, maintained that the branch should focus on establishing the true state of its finances and recovering any funds established to have been improperly spent.
Agu also disclosed that he had received information that Udegbulem had returned the keys to three buses belonging to the branch. He described the reported return as another positive development but insisted that it was not enough to settle the financial controversy.
He called for the recovery of funds allegedly traced to the former chairman and other persons implicated in the controversy, as well as money reportedly expended on logistics during the NBA Annual General Conference.
Probe committee alleges financial irregularities
Agu relied on recommendations from a committee headed by Nworka, which investigated the branch’s financial transactions.
The committee reportedly recommended an independent professional audit to reconcile the branch’s accounts and examine transactions involving funds received from the Imo State Government.
It also called for the production of outstanding financial records and an examination of relevant bank accounts maintained by the branch chairman, treasurer and officials connected with the Annual General Conference logistics committee.
The committee alleged gross misappropriation of branch funds and violations of the NBA Constitution and Uniform Bye-Law, attributing the major responsibility to Udegbulem and a lesser role to the branch treasurer, Olachi Madona Anosike.
It also questioned the handling of an additional ₦30 million reportedly received from the state government for the procurement of solar panels and air conditioners, asking the former chairman to explain why the money had not been reported to the branch and identify the account into which it was paid.
These are allegations and findings contained in the committee report, not a final judicial determination of criminal liability.
Agu further referred to an earlier statement in which he raised questions about ₦12 million reportedly paid from the branch’s account for catering arrangements during the NBA Annual General Conference. He alleged that the money passed through an account belonging to Chiemeka Eleberi before being transferred in three instalments into an account bearing Udegbulem’s name.
He noted that Udegbulem had previously told the Presidential Committee in a WhatsApp communication that the money was paid to a caterer.
Calls for audit and recovery committee
Agu proposed that the branch should constitute an independent professional audit panel at its November 2026 monthly meeting to examine the accounts, identify any irregularities and quantify funds requiring recovery.
He said a recovery committee should subsequently be established to retrieve any money established to have been lost.
According to him, disciplinary action should be considered where individuals refuse to cooperate with the audit or recovery process.
Agu also cited biblical accounts of restitution to argue that expressions of regret should be accompanied by efforts to return resources found to have been wrongfully taken.
He maintained that recovering any misappropriated funds would help establish a stronger culture of accountability within the NBA and discourage future officers from abusing positions of trust.
The notices of discontinuance do not, on their own, establish the reasons for Udegbulem’s decision or amount to an admission of the allegations against him.
No fresh response from the former chairman to Agu’s latest demands was contained in the material accompanying the report.
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