NBA asks NN to retract ‘Deserter Signal’ issued against retired Vice Admiral

By Nikky Chibundu

Lagos subdivision of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, has described the ‘Deserter’ issued against a retired Naval serviceman and a lawyer, Vice Admiral Dada Labinjo, arsenic false, baseless, and successful contempt of a subsisting tribunal judgment.

Consequently, NBA has asked the Nigerian Navy, to instantly retract the ‘deserter’ tag placed connected retired naval officer, formerly called Captain Dada Labinjo.

Nigerian Navy had connected September 3, 2025, astir 14.25 hours, issued a awesome to each its formation, declaring ‘Captain’ DO Labinjo, of Service No. NN0408, deserter alongside Lt Cdr Sa Ibe-Lamberts Nn 0840f and ordered to beryllium apprehended if found.

However, the NBA done its chairman, Uchenna Akingbade, successful respond to the signal, called connected the Nigeria Navy authorization to instantly retract the signal.

The NBA besides stated that the the ‘Deserter’ awesome issued by the Nigeria Navy was successful contempt of a subsisting tribunal judgment.

The lawyers assemblage further said that the ‘disaster’ awesome issued by the Nigerian Navy was ‘grave overreach’, and called connected the instrumentality enforcement agencies to stay law-abiding and to respect the sanctity of Ccourt judgments.

The NBA successful a statement, “Our attraction has been drawn to a Nigerian Navy awesome dated, September 3, 2025, which classified our esteemed member, Vice Admiral Dada Labinjo (formerly Navy Captain) (rtd.), arsenic a deserter.’ This allegation is false, baseless, and successful contempt of a subsisting tribunal judgment.

“The Nigerian Navy is afloat alert of the judgement of the National Industrial Court presided implicit by Justice I. Nweneka, delivered connected March 24, 2025, wherever the tribunal held emphatically successful paragraphs 42 and 48-52 arsenic follows: e Para 42: The claimant was not absent without authoritative leave. e Paras 48-49: By April 12, 2017, the claimant had exceeded the statutory property of 60 years and 35 years of service, and indispensable discontinue instantly aft reinstatement. e Paras 50-51: The tribunal rejected the Navy’s statement that the claimant could beryllium kept successful work beyond this date. Para 52: The claimant is declared a retired Naval Officer of the fertile of Vice Admiral with effect from April 11, 2017.

“From the forgoing, it is beyond quality that Vice Admiral Labinjo (retd) ceased to beryllium a serving Naval serviceman arsenic of April 12, 2017.

“Nevertheless, by a awesome issued connected September 3, 2025, the Navy purported to classify him arsenic a deserter with effect from December 2, 2019. This measurement is unlawful and peculiarly troubling, arsenic it was taken months aft the National Industrial Court, successful its binding judgement of March 24, 2025, conclusively resolved this precise issue.

“NBA Lagos subdivision views this awesome arsenic a sedate overreach. We hereby telephone connected the Nigerian Navy, and each instrumentality enforcement agencies to stay law-abiding and to respect the sanctity of tribunal judgments. If dissatisfied with the determination of the court, due lawful channels beryllium for redress. The authorization of the tribunal cannot beryllium undermined by unlawful signals oregon arbitrary actions from the Nigerian Navy.”

The station NBA asks NN to retract ‘Deserter Signal’ issued against retired Vice Admiral appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.