The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has confirmed that its national election will proceed as scheduled on Saturday, despite concerns over the detention of the managing director of its election service provider.

The decision came after an emergency meeting of the NBA’s National Executive Council (NEC), which affirmed there were no operational or logistical reasons to postpone the election.

The NEC emphasized that preparations for the election remain on track, with the Electoral Committee of the NBA (ECNBA) assuring that the process would be 'free, fair, transparent, and credible.

' The release of the detained managing director by the State Security Service (SSS) was confirmed by the NBA, though the names of the individual and his company were not disclosed.

Lawyer Chidi Odinkalu raised concerns about the SSS’s detention of the MD, alleging that his laptop, phones, and other devices were seized to disrupt election preparations.The NEC condemned the arrest, demanding his immediate release and warning against actions that could undermine the election’s credibility.The NBA urged lawyers to remain calm and participate peacefully in the election, while calling on authorities to respect the association’s autonomy.This incident adds to recent controversies surrounding the NBA election, including disputes over candidate screening and voter registration.Despite these challenges, the ECNBA remains committed to holding the election on Saturday, 18 July 2026.