*Orders payment in 90 days for filling ‘vexatious appeal’
A Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Justice Chioma Egondu Nwosu-Iheme, has delivered a ruling against a Nigerian lawyer, S.M. Danyaro, describing his conduct before the apex court as “uncultured” and a gross abuse of court process.
In the ruling signed on June 22, 2026, the Supreme Court came down heavily on the counsel over what the court described as a vexatious and abusive application filed after the conclusion of a substantive appeal.
The apex court not only dismissed the application in its entirety but also slammed a personal cost of N50 million against the lawyer, ordering him to pay the amount personally within 90 days.
Justice Nwosu-Iheme further directed that the lawyer be denied right of audience in any court in Nigeria until he complies with the court’s order and files a certificate of compliance before the court.
The ruling, delivered by Justice Chioma Egondu Nwosu-Iheme, followed the lead ruling of Justice Jamilu Yammama Tukur, JSC, which the justice said she fully agreed with.
According to the Supreme Court justice, the application filed by Danyaro ranks among the worst ever brought before Nigeria’s highest court.
“I agree entirely with the reasoning and abide by the conclusion in the lead Ruling that this Application is one of the most thoughtless and irresponsible Applications ever brought before this Court,” Justice Nwosu-Iheme declared.
She described the lawyer’s conduct as professional misconduct and accused him of filing the application merely to vent his grievances over the outcome of an earlier appeal decided by the court on June 4, 2025.
“It is condemnable as it amounts to Professional Misconduct on the part of counsel for the Applicant, S.M. Danyaro,” the justice ruled.
“It will haunt the said Counsel for the rest of his career as a Legal Practitioner for being oblivious of the consequences of his action.”
The Supreme Court justice did not stop there.
In one of the harshest judicial condemnations seen in recent years, Justice Nwosu-Iheme accused the lawyer of exposing ignorance of the law and making a mockery of himself before the nation’s highest court.
“I agree that this Application is thoughtless, Juvenile and Gross abuse of the process of this Court,” she said.
“It was brought deliberately by this irresponsible Counsel to ventilate his grievances over the outcome of the substantive Appeal.”
“In the process of bringing this Application under the guise of a review, counsel degenerated to a level unprecedented in the history of application for review in this Court and ended up not only exposing his ignorance and poor knowledge of the law, but making a Mockery of himself as a legal Practitioner.
“He is not worthy to be called a Legal Practitioner.”
The Supreme Court also affirmed that its earlier judgment delivered on June 4, 2025, in Appeal No. SC.266/2017 remains valid, binding and final.
“This application and the unbecoming conduct of Counsel for the Applicant is bereft of common sense, it is dismissed in its entirety,” the ruling stated.
“The judgment of this Court delivered on the 4th day of June, 2025 in Appeal No. SC.266/2017 remain subsisting, final and binding on all parties.”
The court then imposed severe financial and professional sanctions against Danyaro.
“Sequel to the vexatious and unprofessional Application of this uncultured Counsel, S.M. Danyaro, intended only for causing annoyance when objectively evaluated, I also order that costs of N50,000,000 be paid personally by this recalcitrant Counsel, S.M. Danyaro personally for filing this trash,” Justice Nwosu-Iheme ruled.
“The costs shall be paid within 90 days to the respondents.
“A certificate of compliance must be filed in Court in accordance with the Provisions of Order 12 Rules 4(d), 6, and 7 of the Rules of this court.
“S.M. Danyaro of Counsel shall cease to have right of audience in any Court in Nigeria until there is evidence of Compliance with the said Rules of this court.”
The ruling was signed by Justice Chioma Egondu Nwosu-Iheme, Ph.D, Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, and marked as a Certified True Copy issued by the Registrar of the Supreme Court.
