Conviction and Sentencing in Ikeja

A 55-year-old man, John Nwawuto Anoruo, who posed as a legal practitioner and used a forged Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) seal, has been convicted and sentenced by the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja. Justice A.M. Lawal delivered the judgment on Tuesday after Anoruo pleaded guilty to a two-count charge bordering on impersonation and the fraudulent use of a counterfeit NBA seal.

The court sentenced the defendant to pay a total fine of N270,000. Additionally, the judge ordered the forfeiture of the forged NBA seal and the legal practitioner's attire recovered from him to the Federal Government through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Investigation into Forged Credentials

Anoruo, who operated a legal and educational consultancy in Ikorodu, Lagos, was arrested by EFCC operatives on April 20, 2026. His arrest followed investigations into a petition he submitted to the anti-graft agency on behalf of clients against the management of Global West Vessel Specialist Nigeria Limited.

According to the EFCC, investigations revealed that both the petition dated September 22, 2025, and a subsequent letter of withdrawal dated March 5, 2026, carried a forged NBA seal. The defendant admitted to obtaining the counterfeit seal from an undisclosed business centre in Lagos. Further inquiries revealed that although Anoruo claimed to have obtained a law degree from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 2018 through evening classes, he never attended the Nigerian Law School and was not qualified to practise as a lawyer in Nigeria.

Details of the Impersonation and Financial Gain

One of the charges against Anoruo stated that he fraudulently used a counterfeit seal titled "Nigerian Bar Association" bearing Supreme Court Number SCN037400 with the intent that it be accepted as genuine. The second charge accused him of falsely representing himself to the EFCC on September 4, 2025, as a certified legal practitioner and the holder of an NBA seal that actually belonged to another lawyer.

During the trial, prosecution counsel Saadatu Mahmud Yabo called EFCC investigating officer Umar Faruk Ahmad to review the facts. Ahmad testified that the commission received a petition on April 15, 2026, from legal practitioner Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, alleging that Anoruo had falsely presented himself as a lawyer. The witness disclosed that Anoruo had earned N7.5 million from the legal brief that formed part of the investigation, eventually paying N1.5 million to a qualified practitioner to handle the matter on his behalf.

Evidence and Court Exhibits

Ahmad further informed the court that Anoruo appeared at the EFCC office in full legal practitioner's attire. A subsequent search of his residence led to the recovery of the counterfeit NBA seal which bore another lawyer’s Supreme Court enrolment number.

The prosecution tendered several exhibits, which were admitted by the court as Exhibits 1 to 9, including: - The petition by Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika - The defendant's extra-judicial statement - Correspondence between the EFCC, the Body of Benchers, and the Supreme Court of Nigeria - The recovered legal practitioner's attire and forged NBA seal - Evidence of a N300,000 bank draft paid by the defendant into the EFCC recovery account

Defense counsel G.E. Demkemefa did not object to the admissibility of the exhibits. The conviction marks the end of the legal proceedings regarding Anoruo's fraudulent consultancy operations.