The Lagos Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has taken a firm stand against the Nigerian Navy over a controversial signal classifying retired Vice Admiral Dada Olaniyi Labinjo as a deserter.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the association described the Navy’s action as “false, baseless, and in contempt of a subsisting court judgment.”
The NBA insisted that the Navy’s signal, issued on September 3, 2025, not only misrepresented the retired officer’s status but also directly violated a ruling of the National Industrial Court delivered earlier in the year.
NBA Lagos Chairman, Barrister Uchenna Ogunedo Akingbade, said the Navy’s step amounted to “a grave overreach” that undermines the rule of law and threatens judicial authority.
The association recalled that on March 24, 2025, Justice I. G. Nweneka of the National Industrial Court ruled in Suit No. NICN/LA/67/2023: Dada Olaniyi Labinjo v. Nigerian Navy & 3 Ors that Labinjo was not absent without leave at any point.
The judgment further affirmed that by April 12, 2017, Labinjo had surpassed both the statutory retirement age of 60 years and the maximum 35 years of service, and was therefore deemed retired from the Navy with effect from April 11, 2017.
According to the NBA, the court emphatically rejected the Navy’s argument that Labinjo could still be held in service beyond that date. The ruling made clear that he was no longer a serving officer and could not be subjected to disciplinary sanctions.
“It is beyond dispute that Vice Admiral Labinjo (Rtd.) ceased to be a serving officer from April 12, 2017,” the NBA emphasized. “The Navy cannot now turn around to classify him as a deserter years after his lawful retirement.”
The lawyers’ body warned that the September 3 signal, which sought to tag him as a deserter with effect from December 2019, was not only unlawful but issued months after the court had already resolved the matter.
“This is particularly troubling because the Navy is fully aware of the binding judgment,” the NBA said. “If dissatisfied, there are legal avenues for appeal, not arbitrary declarations.”
The association called on the Nigerian Navy and all law enforcement agencies to respect court judgments and desist from actions that undermine judicial authority.
It further assured members of the legal profession and the general public that the NBA Lagos Branch stands solidly behind Labinjo and will take necessary steps to protect his constitutional rights.
“We remain committed to ensuring justice and accountability,” the statement declared. “The rule of law is the foundation of our democracy, and we will continue to defend it without compromise.”
For Vice Admiral Labinjo, the Navy’s signal represents yet another chapter in his longstanding dispute with the military institution. But with the NBA’s backing, the retired officer appears determined to assert the finality of the court’s ruling and defend his hard-earned reputation.
