Author: Lawbreed Limited

There is palpable disquiet in legal circles following a steep 400 per cent increase of the processing fee for the coveted rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) from N1 million to N5 million. This emerged following a notice issued by the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC) announcing commencement of the application process for the 2026 award exercise. In a public notice issued and signed by the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court and Secretary of the Committee, Mr. Kabir Eniola Akanbi, the LPPC stated that the call for applications is being made pursuant to the combined provisions of Section…

The sole principal of an immigration firm has been struck off after he admitted misappropriating more than £160,000 of clients’ money. Charles Ogbonna Azotam, admitted on 17 June 2013, established Charles Hill & Co Solicitors, in Camberwell, London, in August 2017. He was the sole principal at the firm. Azotam transferred £20,000 and then a further £5,000 of client funds to the firm’s business account and then from there to another firm to settle a personal debt. A further £9,265 was transferred from the firm’s client account to the firm’s business account and on the same day a payment of…

Today, we celebrate the remarkable life of a father in the legal profession and a revered past President of the Nigerian Bar Association (1998 – 2000), Chief T.J. Omonigbo Okpoko, OON, SAN, FCIArb, as he turns 94. Chief Okpoko’s life has been one of purpose, service, and enduring dedication to the advancement of justice and legal excellence in Nigeria. His leadership at the Bar and his contributions to the legal profession remain deeply respected and cherished. He is a mentor to many, Chief Okpoko has shaped the lives of countless lawyers with his wisdom and integrity. On this momentous occasion,…

Madagascar’s new government has stripped ousted president Andry Rajoelina of his Malagasy nationality in a decree published Friday, media reports said, 10 days after he was removed in a military takeover. The decree means that Rajoelina — who was impeached on October 14 after fleeing the island nation in the wake of weeks of protests — would not be able to contest future elections. The decree published in the official gazette said Rajoelina’s Malagasy nationality was revoked because he had acquired French nationality in 2014, local media reported, as photographs of the document were shared online. French broadcaster RFI said…

President Bola Tinubu has described Nigeria’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force “grey list” as a strategic victory for the nation’s economy and financial governance. The FATF, the global watchdog on money laundering and terrorist financing, announced Nigeria’s delisting at its October 2025 Plenary in Paris, France, on Friday. This followed the country’s full implementation of a 19-point action plan aimed at strengthening its Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism framework. In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu said the development was “not just a technical accomplishment but a…

Two federal judges admitted in response to an inquiry by U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley that members of their staff used artificial intelligence to help prepare recent court orders that Grassley called “error-ridden.” In letters released by Grassley’s office on Thursday, U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate in Mississippi and U.S. District Judge Julien Xavier Neals in New Jersey said the decisions in the unrelated cases did not go through their chambers’ typical review processes before they were issued. Both judges said they have since adopted measures to improve how rulings are reviewed. Neals, based in Newark, in his…

Justice Abiola Soladoye of a Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court, Ikeja, Lagos, has discharged a pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Emmanuel Orekoya, accused of defiling his 17-year-old daughter. The judge dismissed the case against Orekoya for want of diligent prosecution, holding that the prosecution failed to present witnesses in court to prove the charge against him. The court therefore discharged the defendant of the two-count charge of bordering on defilement and sexual assault by penetration, brought against him by the Lagos State Government. Justice Soladoye held that the prosecution is a colossal waste of time, as…

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) heartily congratulates Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, on his appointment and successful screening as the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Prof. Amupitan’s appointment comes at a defining moment in Nigeria’s democratic journey, one that demands integrity, courage, and a firm commitment to the rule of law in the management of our electoral processes. As a distinguished Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Former Dean of the Faculty of Law, and an accomplished legal scholar, Prof. Amupitan embodies the intellectual depth, professional excellence, and ethical fortitude that this crucial national assignment requires. His long years…

The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has warned against the abuse of court processes that frustrate legitimate debt recovery in the country, pointing out that such act undermines confidence in the financial system. The CJN, who stated that efficient recovery of loans remains central to financial stability, observed that protracted delays in enforcing credit obligations weaken institutions, distort balance sheets, and constrain liquidity. She spoke on Thursday in Abuja, while declaring open the 2025 Capacity Building Workshop on Banking and Financial Services Sector, jointly organized by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the National Judicial Institute…

The UK Supreme Court has upheld a costs order issued in favour of Nigeria following its successful challenge to a US$11 billion arbitral award, finding no error in the judge’s decision to award costs in sterling rather than naira. In a decision today, a five-judge bench refused the appeal by British Virgin Islands-based Process & Industrial Developments (P&ID), finding that costs should generally be paid in the currency in which a party was billed and has paid its bills. It also did not accept that Nigeria had enjoyed “a large windfall” as a result of the currency decision. Nigeria is…