By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu,Rivers
The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Etteh Ibas (retd), has demanded a full refund of N300 million paid to the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) for hosting rights of its 2025 Annual General Conference, following the association’s abrupt decision to relocate the event from the state.
The NBA had withdrawn the conference from Rivers, citing the imposition of a state of emergency and what it described as the “collapse of democratic structures” in the oil-rich state. The event was subsequently moved to Enugu.
Reacting to the development on Monday, Ibas accused the NBA of failing to match its rhetoric with action, saying its decision to retain the payment despite the venue change was “morally indefensible.”
“While we respect the NBA’s right to determine the location of its conference, it is unacceptable that an organisation that prides itself on principle would refuse to refund N300 million paid by a government it now seeks to discredit,” Ibas said in a statement.
“If the NBA truly operates on the high moral ground it claims, it must demonstrate that integrity by refunding the Rivers State Government. Anything less amounts to hypocrisy and opportunism.”
The retired naval chief insisted that the NBA cannot have it both ways rejecting Rivers State for alleged governance failures while still holding onto funds provided by the same government.
The controversy has sparked debates within legal and political circles, with some questioning the NBA’s transparency and others urging the body to clarify how the funds were utilized if already committed.
As of the time of filing this report, the NBA is yet to issue a formal response to Ibas’ demand.