The Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria (ISPON) has accused some expelled former members of disrupting its annual conference, which was scheduled to hold in Lokoja, Kogi State, yesterday, forcing organisers to call off the event midway.
Addressing journalists shortly after the incident, the institute’s President, Engr. Timothy Iwagwu, identified one of the alleged disruptors as Sani Friday Makama, whom he said was no longer a member of ISPON. He alleged that Makama stormed the conference venue and claimed to have been sent by the Kogi State Government to disrupt proceedings.
Iwagwu, however, said the state government had since distanced itself from the action, describing the alleged conduct as inconsistent with the character of the administration. He said the disruption had forced organisers to ask invited guests to leave the venue in order to prevent the situation from escalating further.
The ISPON president disclosed that the institute had since contacted security agencies and formally petitioned the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 8 Command, Lokoja, over the incident, adding that investigations had already commenced.
He described the disruption as particularly unfortunate, noting that the conference formed part of activities marking the institute’s 12th anniversary as a chartered professional body. ISPON, he explained, was established by an Act of the National Assembly on May 19, 2014. He noted that members and stakeholders had travelled from various parts of the country to attend the event, and that the institute had incurred substantial costs on flights, accommodation, transportation and other logistics, stressing that the disruption had resulted in significant financial losses.
Iwagwu linked the incident to a long-running legal dispute involving some former members who, he said, had been expelled from the institute. He noted that the dispute had led to several court cases, adding that ISPON had previously reached out to the affected former members in an attempt at reconciliation. According to him, the institute had even extended an offer of amnesty to the former members during its 12th anniversary celebration held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, in August 2026. He alleged that despite the gesture, the former members had continued to operate under ISPON’s name.
He further referred to a judgment delivered by the Federal High Court sitting in Benin, Edo State, on September 26, 2024, which he said was later set aside by the same court on June 9, 2026. Quoting the court, he said the earlier judgment was set aside on grounds that included alleged deceit, suppression of material facts and abuse of court processes. He maintained that all actions purportedly taken pursuant to the earlier judgment, including the activities of the faction, had consequently been nullified.
The ISPON president said the institute would continue to pursue the matter through lawful channels, stressing that members of the body were expected to uphold good character and professionalism at all times. He appealed to members of the public and organisations to always verify the credentials of individuals presenting themselves as representatives or professionals under the ISPON name.
Iwagwu disclosed that the institute would reschedule the Lokoja conference and communicate a new date to its individual and corporate members in due course. He thanked the Kogi State Government, security agencies, members of the institute and the media for their response to the incident, noting that ISPON had chosen to pursue the matter through lawful means rather than allow the situation to degenerate into violence.
Reacting to the allegations, Sani Friday Makama described the Iwagwu-led group as impersonators, saying his faction had taken the matter to court and that it was pending before the Court of Appeal. He said that without a ruling from the appellate court, the Iwagwu group had resorted to self-help, urging the public to disregard them. He added that the Kogi State Government, through the Director-General of the Government House, had intervened to broker a settlement between the two camps, expressing surprise that the group still went ahead to address the press despite the government’s intervention.
As at press time, the rift between the two factions remained unresolved, with both sides insisting on the legitimacy of their claim to the ISPON leadership.
