Muiz Banire Decries Coordinated Smear Campaign Over Nestoil Legal Battle

Prominent Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Muiz Banire, has officially broken his silence regarding what he describes as a systematic and malicious social media onslaught targeting his professional integrity. The legal heavyweight, alongside other senior lawyers representing Nestoil Limited and Neconde Energy Limited, has recently been the subject of intense digital scrutiny. Banire asserts that these attacks are not rooted in any proven professional misconduct but are instead a calculated effort to intimidate high-profile defense counsel in an ongoing legal battle with FBNQuest Merchant Bank.

In a comprehensive and strongly worded statement, Banire characterized the viral publications as the handiwork of “mischief-makers” and a fugitive from the law. He noted that the anonymous nature of these attacks is a hallmark of those who lack the courage to test their claims in a legitimate court or before anti-corruption agencies. The Senior Advocate emphasized that while he would typically ignore such “sensational gain” tactics, the potential for silence to be mistaken for an admission of guilt necessitated a public clarification.

The crux of the controversy stems from a suit instituted by FBNQuest Merchant Bank Limited and First Trustees Limited. According to Banire, the legal proceedings have been characterized by “judicial ambush tactics.” He pointed out that no substantive hearing on the merits of the case has actually taken place at any level of the Nigerian judiciary. Instead, the process has been dominated by ex parte orders—legal moves made by one party without the presence or notification of the other.

Banire detailed a procedural history where the plaintiffs allegedly obtained multiple orders behind the backs of Nestoil and Neconde. When these orders were challenged and set aside, the plaintiffs reportedly pivoted to the Court of Appeal to secure a fresh set of orders, again without giving the defendants an audience. This strategy, Banire argues, is a deliberate attempt to truncate a fair adversarial hearing by capitalizing on procedural technicalities rather than the facts of the case.

The narrative took a darker turn with online allegations suggesting a massive $42 million bribe had moved through the system to influence the judiciary. Banire dismissed these claims as laughable and physically impossible within Nigeria’s tightly regulated banking sector. He challenged any individual with evidence of such a transaction—whether electronic or cash—to come forward and present it to the relevant authorities, noting that he has not received even a fraction of such a sum.

Furthermore, the Senior Advocate expressed deep concern over how these allegations impugn the integrity of the Supreme Court. He argued that the justices of the nation’s highest court are being “cheapened and reduced to merchandise” by charlatans who assume every institution is susceptible to compromise. He suggested that the current smear campaign was likely triggered by the court’s refusal to succumb to outside inducements, leading the frustrated parties to resort to digital mudslinging.

A significant portion of Banire’s intervention focused on the broader sociological impact of unregulated social media in Nigeria. He admitted to a shift in his own personal philosophy, noting that while he once opposed social media regulation out of a fear of authoritarianism, the reality of “reputational vandalism” has changed his perspective. He described the current digital landscape in Nigeria as a “weapon of mass destruction” that fosters public cynicism and psychological trauma.

The lawyer called for a functional regulatory architecture that balances the constitutional right to free speech with the fundamental right to protection of reputation. He argued that regulation should not be viewed as censorship but as a necessary precondition for maintaining civil discourse. Drawing parallels to the recent harassment of other senior lawyers like Femi Falana, Banire warned that no citizen is safe in a “digital jungle” where blackmail is the primary currency.

Despite the intensity of the campaign against him, Banire remains resolute. He stated that the attempts to dissuade him from his defense of Nestoil have only strengthened his resolve to continue as a “minister in the temple of justice.” He praised security agencies, particularly the Nigeria Police Force, for their ongoing efforts to investigate and prosecute those who use the internet to commit defamatory crimes.

As the matter remains pending before the courts, with a Supreme Court adjournment set for late January 2026, the legal community is watching closely. Banire’s public defense serves as a stark reminder of the evolving challenges facing the Nigerian legal profession in the age of viral misinformation. He concluded by asserting that his untainted record of several decades speaks for itself, and that those seeking to harvest dishonor through lies would eventually face the consequences of their actions.