Police Recover NBA Seal, Law Certificates From Suspected Fake Lawyer

The Ebonyi State Police Command has arrested a man, Ugwumba Enyinnaya, for allegedly impersonating a lawyer and practising law illegally for more than 11 years.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Joshua Ukandu, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, saying the arrest followed an investigation into a petition bordering on alleged obtaining of money by false pretence.

According to the police, Enyinnaya allegedly collected ₦650,000 from one Chukwu David in March 2026 to facilitate the processing and approval of a street naming project in Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

The petitioner reportedly alleged that the suspect presented himself as a qualified legal practitioner with years of professional experience.

However, police investigations allegedly revealed that Enyinnaya had been posing as a lawyer despite not being qualified to practise the profession.

The police said the suspect admitted during interrogation that he was not a lawyer.

A search of his apartment reportedly led to the recovery of several items suspected to have been used in carrying out the alleged illegal practice.

The recovered items, according to the police, included a Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) seal, a portrait of the suspect dressed in barrister’s regalia, and purported Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) and Master of Laws (LL.M.) certificates bearing the name of Enugu State University of Science and Technology.

Other items allegedly recovered were a barrister’s robe and wig, court judgments said to have been procured, and various legal documents purportedly prepared by the suspect.

The documents reportedly included powers of attorney and deeds of conveyance.

The police said the suspect had been charged before a court in connection with the allegations.

The Commissioner of Police in Ebonyi State, CP Hope Okafor, commended the operatives involved in uncovering the alleged impersonation.

Okafor urged members of the public to verify the credentials of individuals offering legal services to avoid falling victim to fraud and other forms of deception.

She also encouraged residents to report suspicious activities to the police for appropriate action.