Ikoyi, Lagos, NIGERIA — Operatives of the Lagos Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested a 55-year-old man, John Anoruo, for allegedly impersonating a legal practitioner and possessing a forged Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) seal.
Anoruo, who operates a legal and educational consultancy in the Ikorodu area of Lagos, was taken into custody on Monday, April 20, 2026.
Okay News reports that the suspect’s activities came under scrutiny after he submitted a petition to the commission on behalf of clients against the management of Global West Vessel Specialist Nigeria Limited.
Commission investigators discovered inconsistencies in the documents provided by Anoruo, including a Letter of Withdrawal dated March 5, 2026. Forensic verification confirmed that the NBA seal affixed to the documents was not authentic. During interrogation, the suspect reportedly confessed to obtaining the forged seal from a business centre in Lagos to give his consultancy a veneer of legal authority.
Further investigations revealed that while Anoruo claimed to have earned a law degree from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) in 2018 through an evening programme, he admitted he never attended the Nigerian Law School. Under Nigerian law, attendance at the law school and a subsequent call to the bar are mandatory prerequisites for anyone seeking to practice as a barrister or solicitor.
The EFCC has confirmed that Anoruo remains in custody and will be formally charged to court upon the conclusion of ongoing investigations. This arrest follows a renewed crackdown by both the NBA and security agencies on “charge and bail” lawyers and individuals operating illegal legal consultancies across the country.
