Nigeria, April 15 -- The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has said it will not refund the N300 million received from Rivers State Government because the fund was "a gift" to the association for its 2025 Annual General Conference.

The Chairperson of the conference's Planning Committee, Emeka Obegolu, announced this in a statement on Monday.

The clarification came after the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Ibok-Ete Ibas, asked the NBA to refund the N300 million which he said the state government under Governor Siminalayi Fubara paid to it for hosting the conference in the state.

Mr Ibas' statement followed the NBA's decision to move the proposed conference from Port Harcourt, Rivers State to Enugu in Enugu State.

The NBA explained that...