Following the coronavirus pandemic, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Lagos Branch, on Thursday closed its secretariat.
In a circular issued by its Chairman, Mr Yemi Akangbe, the branch said that the secretariat would remain closed until further notice.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the chief justice of the Nigeria had on Tuesday directed suspension of all court proceedings for two weeks, except for matters demanding urgency.
The aim is to check the pandemic.
The federal and Lagos State governments had also directed all their workers on Grade Level 12 and below to work from home to reduce the spread of the virus.
Thus, in the circular, the NBA branch chairman said,“We have taken the decision to close the branch secretariat from Thursday, the 26th of March, until further notice:
“However, in view of the notification by the president of the NBA that the deadline for payment of bar practising fee and the branch local dues will not be extended but remains 31st of March, we urge members to make their payments in banks.
“This can be either electronically or otherwise. They should keep their tellers or evidence of payment until such a time when operations resume at the secretariat at which time receipts will be issued.
“I appeal to you to bear with us and apologise for any inconveniences caused by the disruption in the system.
“These are unusual times, and we all have to collectively make sacrifices to overcome the situation,” he said. (NAN)
