A Magistrate Court sitting in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State, has granted bail to a 30-year-old man, Collins Ehibor, who was arrested for allegedly impersonating a legal practitioner and fraudulently practicing law.
The court, presided over by Gregory Epete, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of ₦200,000 with two sureties after he pleaded not guilty to a two-count charge bordering on impersonation and obtaining by false pretence. The matter was subsequently adjourned to July 14, 2026, for further hearing.
Ehibor was arrested on July 6, 2026, following investigations into allegations that he had been posing as a lawyer and representing clients in court without being qualified to practice.
Police investigations reportedly revealed that the suspect had handled and successfully won about 24 court cases, including three criminal matters, before his arrest.
His arraignment drew widespread attention, with the courtroom filled by members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Effurun Branch, alongside other concerned observers eager to witness the proceedings.
The development has once again raised concerns over the infiltration of unqualified individuals into Nigeria’s legal profession and the need for stricter verification of legal practitioners.
The case also brings back memories of a similar incident in October 2025, when another suspected fake lawyer, Oghenetejiri, was apprehended by members of the Nigerian Bar Association, Udu Branch, after allegedly attempting to flee from the Orhuwhorun Magistrate Court when he was unable to answer a question posed by the presiding magistrate.
Subsequent investigations in that case established that Oghenetejiri had never attended law school and was not listed on the roll of legal practitioners maintained by the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
The latest prosecution underscores renewed efforts by law enforcement authorities and the Nigerian Bar Association to protect the integrity of the legal profession and prevent the activities of impostors within the nation’s justice system.