Supreme Court Fines Lawyer N50m, Suspends Court Appearance Rights Over ‘Irresponsible’ Application

The Supreme Court has imposed a personal fine of N50 million on a legal practitioner, S.M. Danyaro, and suspended his right of audience in courts across Nigeria after dismissing an application it described as “thoughtless” and “irresponsible.”

In a ruling delivered on June 22, 2026, Justice Chioma Egondu Nwosu-Iheme upheld the lead ruling of Justice Jamilu Yammama Tukur, which dismissed the application in its entirety.

The apex court held that the application was an attempt to revisit issues that had already been conclusively determined in its judgment of June 4, 2025, in Appeal No. SC.266/2017.

Justice Nwosu-Iheme strongly condemned the conduct of the lawyer, stating that the application ranked among the most reckless matters ever brought before the Supreme Court.

“I agree entirely with the reasoning and conclusion in the lead ruling that this application is one of the most thoughtless and irresponsible applications ever brought before this court,” the justice said.

The court held that Danyaro’s actions amounted to professional misconduct and abuse of judicial process, noting that the lawyer appeared unaware of the legal implications of his conduct.

According to the ruling, the application sought to relitigate matters that had already been settled by the Supreme Court, contrary to established legal principles that uphold the finality of judgments delivered by the apex court.

Justice Nwosu-Iheme further observed that the conduct of the lawyer exposed a fundamental misunderstanding of the law and the role of legal practitioners in the administration of justice.

The court consequently affirmed that its judgment delivered on June 4, 2025, remains valid, binding and enforceable on all parties involved in the matter.

As part of the sanctions, the Supreme Court ordered Danyaro to personally pay N50 million to the respondents within 90 days.

The court also barred him from appearing before any court in Nigeria until he complies with the directives of the Supreme Court and files a certificate of compliance in line with the provisions of Order 12 Rules 4(d), 6 and 7 of the Supreme Court Rules.

Legal observers say the ruling underscores the determination of the apex court to discourage frivolous litigation and protect the integrity of the judicial process.

The judgment, which was certified by the Registrar of the Supreme Court, is expected to generate significant discussion within the legal community regarding professional responsibility and adherence to ethical standards in legal practice.

Did you like this feature?

Headline options:

Supreme Court Hits Lawyer with N50m Fine, Suspends Court Appearance Rights

Apex Court Sanctions Lawyer Over ‘Thoughtless’ Application, Orders N50m Payment

Supreme Court Cracks Down on Lawyer, Imposes N50m Fine for Relitigating Decided Case

Lawyer Faces N50m Penalty, Court Ban as Supreme Court Condemns ‘Irresponsible’ Filing

‘One of the Most Thoughtless Applications Ever’: Supreme Court Fines Lawyer N50m