*As EFCC says over 100 senior lawyers facing fraud charges

Nigeria’s Body of Benchers (BoB) has sanctioned 17 lawyers for professional misconduct with penalties ranging from two to five years.

The disclosure was made at the Body of Benchers’ annual lecture and presentation of the report of the Disciplinary Committee for the year 2025.

This is even as Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Olanipekun Olukoyede has revealed that over 100 senior lawyers are being prosecuted for financial fraud.

In attendance were senior members of the bar and bench, including the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, the President of the Nigeria Bar Association, Afam Osigwe, SAN, and several Senior Advocates of Nigeria.

It was the second annual lecture of the Body of Benchers holding in Abuja,

The conference, which featured the presentation of the yearly report of the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee, was an opportunity for retrospect and to chart a new path to sustaining ethics and enhancing professionalism.

Conversations around discipline and mentorship for young lawyers were prioritised.

In the course of the event, the EFCC Chair expressed concerns over the rising cases of lawyers involved in financial fraud, disclosing that over 100 senior lawyers were currently being prosecuted by the commission over matters relating to financial fraud.

One critical aspect of the conference was the presentation of the 2025 Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee’s report, where 17 lawyers were penalised for various offences.

The Body of Benchers is the regulatory body for the legal profession in Nigeria, and as the second annual lecture ended, the message around discipline, ethics, and professionalism resonated strongly with participants. (Channels TV)