NBA Ikeja warns against ‘fake lawyers’, pledges to sanitise court environment

ARINZE NWAFOR, Lagos

The chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja Branch, Oluseyi Olawumi, has warned against “fake lawyers” and promised to sanitise the court environment, Monday.

Olawumi, at the December meeting of the NBA Ikeja Branch, issued a warning to people who parade themselves as lawyers without passing through legal education and to lawyers who work with them.

“When we come for them, let them know that somebody somewhere warned them,” the NBA Chairman said.

Olawumi told the association that an alleged “fake lawyer” was apprehended on November 30, by a lawyer-member of the  NBA.

He said the alleged fake lawyer, Chioma Uche, had initially confessed to falsely presenting herself as a lawyer at the Itire police station but recanted later leading the police to prosecute her.

“She has been remanded at the Kirikiri medium correctional centre after she pleaded not guilty. The case has been adjourned to January 16, 2024,” the chairman said.

Further, Olawumi cautioned the act of soliciting affidavit applicants in front of the courthouse by people.

He told the lawyers, “Stop giving our jobs to touts to do for us.”

One of the lawyers, Ifeyinnwa Okpalaku, told the NBA Chairman to look inward in his administration’s fight against fake lawyers and solicitors of affidavit applicants.

Okpalaku asked the chairman to reconcile the matter first with the registry of the courthouses and said, “The registry is encouraging them.”

Olawumi said the NBA Ikeja Branch will set up a special committee to implement the project of sanitising the courthouses.

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