The Rivers State Government has rubbished the claim by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) that the N300m it received from the government was an unconditional gift not tied to the hosting of its Annual General Conference in the State.

In a statement, the SSA Media to Rivers State Government, Hector Igbikiowubo, vowed to deploy all legal means to recover the funds from the NBA.

According to him, government records showed that the N300m was tied to the hosting of the NBA’s Annual General Conference in the state.

The whole rift started after the NBA moved its conference, earlier slated to be held in Rivers, to Enugu State in protest against the state of emergency declared in the state.

The statement said: “The government outrightly rejects the NBA’s recent allegation that the ₦ 300 million payment made by the state was a “gift”, unrelated to hosting rights for the NBA AGC 2025.

“For clarity, the Rivers State Government’s records show that the payment of ₦300 million to the NBA was made with the mutual understanding that Rivers State would host the 2025 edition of the NBA AGC.

“The Rivers State Government entered into this arrangement with the NBA in good faith, with the understanding that hosting the conference in the state would attract significant economic benefits to our state, positively and directly impact the businesses of our people.

“The NBA’s unilateral decision to relocate the AGC 2025 against our mutual understanding and subsequent decision to withhold the ₦300 million paid for the purpose of hosting the NBA AGC 2025 in Rivers State is unethical and amounts to a breach of trust.

“Failure of the NBA to immediately refund the ₦ 300 million to the Rivers State Government will compel the implementation of all legal means to recover the property of the good people of Rivers State.

“We reaffirm our willingness to engage in partnerships with all professional bodies, including the NBA, but we will not accommodate exploitation of our people and the Rivers State Government”