Fake Lawyer Nabbed in Lagos Over Forged NBA Seal, Faces Prosecution

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested a suspected fake lawyer, John Anoruo, for allegedly possessing and using a forged seal of the Nigerian Bar Association in Lagos. The 55-year-old suspect was taken into custody on Monday, April 20, 2026, by operatives of the EFCC Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 in Ikoyi, according to a statement issued by the anti-graft agency on Tuesday.

Anoruo, who operates a legal and educational consultancy in the Ikorodu area of Lagos, came under investigation after submitting a petition to the EFCC on September 22, 2025, on behalf of his clients against the management of Global West Vessel Specialist Nigeria Limited. The EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, confirmed that further scrutiny of the documents revealed serious irregularities. “Investigations revealed that both the petition and the subsequent Letter of Withdrawal dated March 5, 2026, bore a forged seal of the Nigerian Bar Association,” the EFCC stated.

During interrogation, the suspect admitted to obtaining the counterfeit seal from an undisclosed business centre in Lagos. Anoruo claimed he obtained a law degree in 2018 from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka through evening classes, but he confessed that he never attended the Nigerian Law School, a mandatory requirement for anyone seeking to practice law in Nigeria. Legal practitioners note that attendance at the Nigerian Law School and subsequent call to the bar are essential steps before one can legally represent clients in the country.

The EFCC confirmed that Anoruo will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations. “The suspect will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded,” the commission said in its statement. The arrest highlights growing concerns over impersonation within Nigeria’s legal profession, following a similar incident in January 2025 when police arrested a suspected fake lawyer, Godwin Eguabor, for representing a client before a magistrate court in the Badagry area of Lagos.