- A Lagos High Court convicted John Nwawuto Anoruo on August 4, 2026, after EFCC operatives arrested him in April over suspected impersonation
- Anoruo ran a legal and educational consultancy in Ikorodu and filed a petition to the EFCC on behalf of clients using a forged Nigerian Bar Association seal
- Investigations revealed that both the original petition and a later withdrawal letter carried the counterfeit NBA seal. Anoruo admitted obtaining from a business centre
Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
Lagos State – A man operating a legal and educational consultancy in the Ikorodu area of Lagos has been convicted by a Lagos State High Court for impersonating a lawyer and possessing a forged seal of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).
Justice A.M. Lawal of the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja sentenced John Nwawuto Anoruo following a prosecution brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Source: Twitter
The judge delivered the verdict on Tuesday, August 4, 2026.
This was contained in a statement issued by the EFCC via its X handle @officialEFCC.
How fake lawyer Anoruo was caught
The case unravelled after Anoruo filed a petition dated September 22, 2025, to the EFCC on behalf of clients against the management of Global West Vessel Specialist Nigeria Limited.
EFCC operatives who looked into the matter discovered that the petition carried a forged NBA seal.
A subsequent Letter of Withdrawal he filed on March 5, 2026, bore the same counterfeit seal.
Anoruo admitted to obtaining the forged seal from an undisclosed business centre in Lagos. He was arrested on Monday, April 20, 2026.
Reactions to the Verdict
The conviction drew sharp responses on X, with many users questioning the severity of the punishment handed down by the court.
@mahirwealth wrote:
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“Imagine studying for years, attending Law School, getting called to the Bar, only for someone with a forged seal to compete with you and walk away with a fine.”
@ShularO was more blunt:
“Just a fine of 250k?? Person wey dem supposed sentence to Sokoto prison.”
@emmychris30 offered a different reading of the situation:
“The man is obviously a lawyer but not a barrister. He got a law degree but didn’t go to law school. I guess that’s why he got a fair punishment.”
@DIVINEPROPdkk said:
“I don’t know courts have mercy like this. Our justice system tries, oh thank you.”
Fake lawyer arrested while representing client
Recall that Godwin Eguabor, a suspected fake lawyer, was arrested while representing a client at a magistrate court in Badagry, Lagos.
NBA Vice-Chairman Atule Elchors flagged Eguabor for lacking a Supreme Court enrollment number, a key identifier for licensed lawyers.
Eguabor was charged with impersonation, granted bail of N1 million, and the case was adjourned to February 19 for further hearing.
Court jails fake lawyer for impersonation
Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that an Anambra High Court sentenced Obinna Oraezue to 90 days in prison for falsely posing as a lawyer at the Anambra State High Court in Otuocha.
Oraezue, dressed as a lawyer, was arrested after appearing in court despite lacking the necessary legal qualifications.
Source: Legit.ng