The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Lagos branch, yesterday staged a protest at the Nigerian Navy Ship Beecroft, Apapa, denouncing a signal by the Navy that declared retired Vice Admiral Dada Olaniyi Labinjo a deserter.

Branch Chairman, Mrs Uchenna Akingbade, who led the demonstration, described the signal as “false, baseless, and contemptuous” of a subsisting judgment of the National Industrial Court (NIC) delivered on March 24, 2025, by Justice I.G. Nweneka in Suit No. NICN/LA/67/2023.

According to the ruling, Labinjo was not absent without leave and therefore could not be deemed to have deserted the service. The court further held that, having attained the age of 60, he was deemed retired with effect from April 1, 2017, and should either be reinstated or deemed to have risen to the rank of Vice Admiral from Captain, based on his years of service.

Despite the Navy’s appeal against the judgment, Akingbade faulted its decision to issue, on September 3, 2025, a signal declaring Labinjo a deserter with effect from December 2, 2019. The signal also directed that he be arrested if sighted. “It is a violation of his fundamental human rights,” she said, adding that Labinjo has gone into hiding since discovering the notice.

The protest, she explained, was to compel the Navy to respect judicial authority and withdraw the signal.

However, efforts to deliver a protest letter to the Navy met resistance, as the Commander of NNS Beecroft, Commodore Paul Mimmyel, declined to accept it. He advised the NBA to channel its petition through the Chief of Naval Staff in Abuja.

“If there is a court judgment, I think the issue should be thrashed out. We are not quarrelling. The Navy is a government agency. If you have grievances, you take them to the Chief of Naval Staff,” Mimmyel told the NBA delegation, insisting the association’s approach amounted to a “disguised protest.”

Akingbade disagreed, maintaining that the lawyers had come peacefully. “When you do not agree with a situation, that is a protest. Do you see any of us causing trouble here? Why is the Navy issuing signals when the matter is already before the court?” she asked.

Vice Chairman of the branch and head of its Human Rights Committee, Mr James Shunde, also condemned the Navy’s conduct as “unacceptable.” He noted that the matter had even reached the Supreme Court, which ruled in Labinjo’s favour. “Institutions must respect court judgments. The rule of law must be protected,” he said, warning that the association would escalate the matter to the Presidency if necessary.

Another branch member, Mrs Koyinsola Badejo-Okunsanya, stressed that the protest was not only about Labinjo but also about the rule of law. “It is Labinjo today; it could be anyone tomorrow,” she said. “Declaring him a deserter despite a valid judgment is unacceptable. The NBA will continue to defend fundamental human rights and uphold the rule of law as long as it exists.”