No fewer than 100 senior lawyers face trial for corruption-related offences, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Chairman Ola Olukoyede disclosed at the Body of Benchers’ second annual lecture in Abuja.
Olukoyede, himself a lawyer, voiced alarm over lawyers’ rising involvement in financial crimes, citing petitions prompting probes into senior Bar members.
“Before I came here, I checked our database: we are prosecuting about 100 senior members of the Bar for offences from diverting clients’ funds to aiding money laundering,” he said. “It has become necessary for us to work together.”
The event drew top legal figures, including Body of Benchers Chairman and former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kayode Ariwoola, who framed it as a moment to reflect on ethics and resilience in the profession.
LPDC Report: 17 Lawyers Sanctioned in 2025
The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) unveiled its 2025 report, detailing sanctions on 17 lawyers for professional misconduct.
Presenting the findings, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) said penalties targeted “infamous conduct in duties,” ranging from striking off to suspensions.
Three lawyers struck off the roll.
Three suspended for five years.
Two suspended for four years.
Five suspended for three years.
Four suspended for two years.
One received a warning.
Calls for Ethical Renewal
Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, stressed the Body of Benchers’ role in discipline to uphold public confidence in justice.
Ariwoola added: “This is not a jamboree but a time to reflect on our values, ethics, ethos, resilience, and faith in the institution.”
