Businessman Loses ₦18.5M to Impostor Posing as Lawyer

A man, Oruhu Odey, has been arraigned in Osogbo for allegedly posing as a lawyer, forging the Nigerian Bar Association seal, and defrauding a businessman of ₦18.5 million.

Odey, who appeared in court without legal representation, was slammed with four counts of impersonation, fraud, stealing, and forgery.

According to the police prosecutor, Saheed Anifowose, the defendant falsely paraded himself as a lawyer between December 2020 and May 2021. During this period, he reportedly deceived a victim into parting with millions under the pretext of helping him purchase two houses at Oroki Estate, Osogbo.

The prosecutor further alleged that Odey went as far as forging the official NBA seal and stamp and attaching them to a petition he sent to the Ogun State Commissioner of Police, in a bid to appear credible.

The offences, Anifowose said, contravened several provisions of the Osun State Criminal Code, including Section 109 on impersonation and Section 419 on fraud.

When the charges were read, the defendant pleaded not guilty.

Ruling on the matter, Presiding Magistrate Dr. Segun Ayilara ordered that Odey be remanded at the Ilesa Correctional Centre and adjourned the case to October 21, 2025, for mention.

Cases of fake lawyers parading themselves in courts and legal dealings have become alarmingly frequent in Nigeria. The NBA has repeatedly raised concerns over impostors forging its seals to commit fraud, even introducing extra security features in 2021 to fight forgery.

Just last month, there was an arrest of another suspected fake lawyer, Emmanuel Odeh, who had allegedly been practicing for almost 10 years in Lagos and Abuja while duping unsuspecting Nigerians.

For many Nigerians, the growing trend of fake lawyers is a reminder to double-check legal representatives before entrusting them with sensitive cases or large sums of money.