Author: Lawbreed Limited

A 24-year-old Nigerian man, Mercy Ojedeji, has pleaded guilty to charges of wire fraud and unlawful use of fraudulent immigration documents in the United States. The plea was entered in a US District Court in St. Louis, Missouri, according to a statement released by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri on Thursday, April 10. On Wednesday, April 9, Ojedeji admitted to fraudulently securing a student visa and gaining admission into the University of Missouri’s chemistry PhD program in Fall 2023. He acknowledged using falsified academic transcripts, recommendation letters, a fake resume, and a fabricated English language…

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has announced the relocation of its 2025 Annual General Conference (AGC) from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, to Enugu, citing serious concerns over what it described as unconstitutional governance and a breakdown of democratic order in Rivers. In a statement released late Thursday and jointly signed by NBA President Afam Osigwe (SAN), General Secretary Mobolaji Ojibara, and Chairman of the AGC Planning Committee, Emeka Obegolu (SAN), the association explained that the decision was driven by recent political developments that undermine the rule of law. “Indeed, prior to the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers…

Almost 40 international students in the US recently had their visas suddenly taken away. Experts and advocates say the US government made this decision based on small issues like traffic offences. People believe this is part of a bigger plan by Donald Trump’s administration to control immigration and how universities handle it. The decision has shocked many students and left them scared and unsure about what will happen next. One of the students affected from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, is Lisa said she was just a month away from graduation when she got an unexpected email, according to The…

The Business Recovery and Insolvency Practitioners Association of Nigeria (BRIPAN) has partnered with the Federal High Court to streamline processes within the insolvency division and enhance the administration of business recovery across the country. BRIPAN President, Mr. Chimezie Ihekweazu, SAN, disclosed this in a communiqué issued on Saturday in Lagos. BRIPAN is a professional body dedicated to promoting best practices in business recovery and insolvency, particularly in managing financially distressed individuals and companies. According to Ihekweazu, the collaboration aims to simplify insolvency proceedings and create more efficient processes. The insolvency division is responsible for handling legal matters related to companies…

The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, on Monday said the judiciary had become a prime target for cyberattacks due to the sensitive case files, personal information, and classified government data it handles. She warned that with the adoption of digital innovations to enhance the efficiency, accessibility, and transparency of court processes, “we must also recognize the risks associated with online systems, particularly cyber threats and data breaches.” The CJN, who spoke at the opening session of a Hybrid National Workshop for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) staff members of various courts in the country, organized by the…

The five-year ban imposed on the Attorney General of Imo State, C. O. C. Akaolisa, by the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee, LPDC, has been lifted. The ban was overturned by the Supreme Court of Nigeria following a series of suits against the committee. It will be recalled that in July 2021, a six-member LPDC panel banned Akaolisa from legal practice for five years over his conduct. He was accused of using his position as the Attorney General of Imo State to secure the release of a suspected murderer who was standing trial. However, in a unanimous judgment, the Supreme Court…

KEYNOTE SPEECH BY HIS EXCELLENCY, MR. BABATUNDE RAJI FASHOLA SAN ON THE THEME, “HALF-A-CENTURY OF THE BODY OF BENCHERS: THE PAST, THE PRESENT, AND THE FUTURE OF MAINTAINING THE ETHICS OF THE LEGAL PROFESSION IN NIGERIA” DELIVERED ON THE OCCASION OF THE BODY OF BENCHERS ANNUAL LECTURE (BOBAL 2025) WEDNESDAY, 26TH MARCH, 2025AT THE MAIN AUDITORIUM, BODY OF BENCHERS COMPLEX, IDU, ABUJA, FCT Distinguished ladies and Gentlemen, I know not what qualifies me to be your choice of speaker at this maiden event but believe me I am here with delight because my recollections of, and my interactions with the…

The legal and human rights community in Nigeria has been thrown into sadness with the demise of Joseph Otteh a famous lawyer, civil rights campaigner, and justice system reform champion. Otteh, the founder of Access to Justice, became ill in the night of Thursday, 27th March, 2025 and passed away in the early hours of Friday 28th March, 2025 in a Lagos hospital. With decades of experience fighting for judicial reforms, the rule of law, and human rights protections, Otteh was a well-known voice in legal advocacy. He was a Global Public Service Scholar at NYU and received Master’s degrees…

Professor Chidi Anselm Odinkalu, a prominent human rights lawyer, has fiercely rebuked Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike’s demand to the Body of Benchers to punish him for “degrading the legal profession,” alleging that Wike, while under the influence of “dangerous beverages,” seeks to silence his criticism of judicial interference and promising to unveil the minister’s full story “when the time comes.” In a blistering social media post on platform X, Chidi Odinkalu, a former National Human Rights Commission Chairman, reacted sharply to Wike’s comments, in which the minister urged the Body of Benchers to discipline him for publicly criticizing…

Nyesom Wike, the Federal Capital Territory Minister, has called for the punishment of Professor Chidi Odinkalu, accusing him of contributing to the degradation of the legal profession through unfounded criticisms. He made this statement when he received the Body of Benchers, led by Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), during a visit to him at Life Camp, Abuja. Wike emphasized the need for discipline within the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to protect judicial integrity. “For the first time in my life as a lawyer, I have seen an unfortunate situation where the NBA, as a body, without a court judgment, will declare…