EFCC Probes Over 100 Lawyers as LPDC Suspends 17 for Misconduct

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has revealed that more than 100 lawyers are currently under investigation for suspected involvement in financial fraud, marking a significant escalation in the agency’s scrutiny of the legal profession.

The announcement coincided with the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) imposing sanctions on 17 lawyers for professional misconduct. The penalties range from two- to five-year suspensions, reflecting breaches such as conflicts of interest, mishandling of client funds, and courtroom improprieties.

The LPDC, established under the Legal Practitioners Act, operates independently to investigate allegations of professional misconduct and presents its findings to the Body of Benchers (BoB). Appeals from LPDC rulings are directed to the Supreme Court. The latest report was presented at the BoB’s second annual lecture, attended by Chief Justice of Nigeria Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, Attorney General and Minister of Justice Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, NBA President Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, and several Senior Advocates of Nigeria.

EFCC Chairman Ola Olukayode, SAN, noted that investigations are ongoing and that some of the lawyers under scrutiny have already faced charges. He emphasized the role lawyers have played in enabling large-scale financial fraud, citing cases such as the P&ID contract, Mambilla Power Project, and Sunrise projects. Olukayode also criticized the high legal fees some senior lawyers receive from political office holders, arguing that these payments often escape regulatory oversight.

The EFCC chairman’s remarks previously drew strong responses from the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), which challenged the claims as generalizations that unfairly implicated the entire profession. NBA President Osigwe, SAN, urged that any allegations of wrongdoing be formally presented to the LPDC for investigation, highlighting the body’s capacity to address misconduct without casting broad aspersions.

Instances of unethical behavior within the legal profession have been documented over the years. In January 2022, the NBA identified seven lawyers, including a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, who were found to have influenced conflicting court orders. These cases were referred to the LPDC for disciplinary action. Similarly, in June 2025, the NBA established an LPDC Prosecutors’ Team to handle ethics cases, reinforcing its commitment to maintaining professional standards.

President Bola Tinubu has also weighed in on judicial integrity, calling on the judiciary to take decisive action against misconduct. Addressing the 2025 All Nigerian Judges Conference, he stressed that discipline must be firm and transparent, warning that “justice must never be for sale.”

As investigations and sanctions unfold, both the EFCC and LPDC signal a broader effort to strengthen accountability within the legal profession. Observers note that effective enforcement and public engagement are key to sustaining reforms, with expectations that similar oversight may extend to judicial officers through the National Judicial Council and the Code of Conduct Bureau.