Nigeria: Ebonyi police charge man accused of posing as a lawyer for over a decade with purported law degrees
Police say they recovered purported LLB and LLM certificates, a Bar association seal, and a wig and gown from the suspect, who allegedly admitted he was not a lawyer.
Police in Ebonyi State, Nigeria, have arrested and charged a man accused of practising as a lawyer for more than ten years without the required qualifications, according to a police statement issued in Abakaliki on 27 October and reported by Premium Times and Daily Trust.
The petition
The state police spokesperson, Superintendent Joshua Ukandu, said the arrest followed a petition alleging that the man obtained money by false pretence. The petitioner alleged that in March 2026 he paid the suspect 650,000 naira to process a street-naming approval in Ohaozara Local Government Area, after the suspect presented himself as an experienced lawyer.
According to police, preliminary inquiries showed he did not hold the professional qualifications needed to practise law, and he allegedly admitted during questioning that he was not a lawyer.
Items recovered
Police said a search of his apartment produced a Nigerian Bar Association seal, purported Bachelor of Laws and Master of Laws certificates bearing the name of Enugu State University of Science and Technology, a barrister's wig and robe, and a portrait of him in legal dress. They also reported recovering court judgments allegedly obtained from a court and documents he allegedly drafted, including powers of attorney and deeds of conveyance.
Police Commissioner Hope Okafor commended the officers involved, and the command urged the public to take care when engaging people who claim to be lawyers. The suspect has been charged to court; the allegations have not been proven.
How to check a lawyer
In most jurisdictions, including Nigeria and India, holding a law degree is not enough to practise: an advocate must also be enrolled with the professional body. Clients can ask for the enrolment number and confirm it with the bar council or the court registry before handing over money or documents. A university degree can be confirmed separately with the issuing university's examinations office. Employers who hire in-house legal staff should run both checks, since a genuine degree does not by itself show that a person is entitled to practise.
This News Desk report summarises information published by the sources above, written in our own words. Persons named in criminal matters are accused, not convicted, unless a court has ruled otherwise. To report an error, use our contact page.
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