Ubani Collapses In EFCC Custody, Rushed To A Hospital

Former second vice president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA ), Monday Onyekachi Ubani , reportedly collapsed yesterday and was allegedly rushed to an undisclosed hospital in Abuja

The lawyer and an ex - senator from Bayelsa State , Christopher Enai , have been in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC ) since March 19 , 2019 for failing to produce the erstwhile chairman of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund ( NSITF) , Dr . Ngozi Olejeme , whom both stood for as sureties in a N6 . 4 billion fraud allegation suit.

A family member , who pleaded for anonymity , said Ubani fainted yesterday morning after “ suffering severe dehydration and high blood pressure . ”

He pleaded with the EFCC chairman to comply with the court order asking for his brother’ s release.

In a statement he issued after his arrest , Ubani had maintained his innocence over the disappearance of Olejeme ’ s disappearance , stating that he lost contact with her after “ EFCC officials raided her home in Abuja . ”

Besides , the anti - graft agency said it expected the NBA to rebuke the detainee for flouting one of the time-honoured rules of professional conduct by standing as surety for a client.

Its acting spokesperson , Tony Orilade , in a statement yesterday in Abuja, said : “ Rule 37 ( 1 ) of the Rules of Professional Conduct states “where a lawyer undertakes the defence of a person accused of a crime , he shall exert himself , by all fair and honourable means, to put before the court all matters that are necessary in the interest of justice, but shall not stand or offer to stand bail for a person for whom he or a person in his law firm is appearing. ”