The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Needs and Equal Opportunities, Mohammed Abba Isa, has called for deliberate inclusion of qualified lawyers with disabilities in judicial appointments across Nigeria.
He made the call while delivering a goodwill message at the 2025 Annual Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association Lawyers with Disabilities Forum (NBA-LWDF), held in Asaba, Delta State.
Speaking at the conference, Abba Isa urged the Judiciary, the National Judicial Council, and other relevant authorities to ensure that competent legal practitioners with disabilities are appointed to the Bench. According to him, the justice system cannot be described as inclusive when those responsible for interpreting and delivering justice remain underrepresented. He noted that true inclusion must go beyond accessibility to full visibility and participation at the highest levels of the judicial structure.
He further stressed the urgent need to make court facilities across the country fully accessible. This, he said, includes the installation of functional elevators, ramps, accessible restrooms, and other assistive features that guarantee dignity for lawyers, litigants, and witnesses with disabilities.
The conference, themed “Beyond Triumphs: Advancing Inclusion, Impact, and Leadership for Persons with Disabilities,” drew legal practitioners, disability-rights advocates, policymakers, and other dignitaries from across Nigeria. Discussions focused on strengthening accessibility legislation, promoting inclusive workplace practices, enhancing leadership opportunities, and exploring the role of emerging technologies in fostering disability inclusion within the legal profession.
Reaffirming President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to eliminating occupational discrimination, Abba Isa noted that many lawyers with disabilities have fulfilled all professional requirements and demonstrated competence yet continue to encounter barriers rooted in outdated systems rather than ability. He emphasized that the Renewed Hope Administration remains committed to creating a Nigeria where disability is never a barrier to professional aspiration or leadership.
He commended the leadership of the NBA-LWDF, the Conference Planning Committee, and all partners for their sustained efforts toward promoting accessibility, empowerment, and leadership opportunities for persons with disabilities within the legal community and beyond.
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