NBA criticizes EFCC Chairman for profiling lawyers as corrupt
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has expressed strong reservations over a recent remarks of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede over the role of lawyers in financial fraud.
NBA President Affam Osigwe made this remark on Monday during the unveiling of the 2025 NBA General Conference logo and theme.
SolaceBase had reported that the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, said that no major financial fraud, especially illicit financial flows, can occur without lawyers’ involvement.
Read Also: Why we sacked 2 staff – EFCC chair
Olukoyede made these remarks during the opening of the 6th Annual Criminal Law Review Conference held in Abuja, a five-day event focused on optimizing the administration of criminal justice in Nigeria amid the challenges of insecurity and economic hardship.

The EFCC chairman highlighted the critical role lawyers play in facilitating the transfer of large sums of money into offshore accounts, often in tax havens, which he said was done with legal expertise.
He pointed out that the involvement of lawyers in dubious financial transactions is one of the most disturbing discoveries the EFCC has made in recent years.
However, Osigwe, who acknowledged that no profession is entirely free from ethical breaches or misconduct, described the sweeping characterization of lawyers as primary enablers of financial crimes as both inaccurate and unwarranted.
Osigwe argued that the EFCC Chairman lacked sufficient evidence to back his claims.
Read Also: ICPC commences tracking constituency, executive projects valued at ₦41bn in Kano
He said: “We challenge the EFCC Chairman to come up with empirical evidence and if he can not, he should never make such a statement again.
“Unfortunately, he is one of us. He is a lawyer. We had earlier drawn his attention to the fact that many men and women who make the investigation and prosecution of cases by the EFCC worthwhile are lawyers.
“Is he then suggesting that his lawyers are aiding money laundering and financing of terrorism?
“It is common in Nigeria for people to make hasty generalizations, yet, very few lawyers, to my knowledge, have been prosecuted by the EFCC for aiding money laundering.
“If for example, he has evidence of many lawyers who have aided money laundering and who are standing trial or who may have been convicted or who had pleaded guilty, then, one could say that he has evidence.
“It is unfortunate that such a statement was made and I am sure that with the benefit of hindsight, he would not have made the statement.
“In the absence of evidence, such a statement should never be made. We are proud members of the legal profession and we must draw the line in performing our professional duties and aiding the commission of crime. We do not do that.
Read Also: Amidst government reliance on loans, every Katsina state resident owes N14,693 as of 2023
“There may be a few bad eggs but that does not represent the picture or the majority of lawyers who toil to build up a reputation of integrity and professionalism.
“The EFCC Chairman should not for whatever reason soil that image by portraying all of us as aiders of money laundering.
“If that happens again, we will take legal action to protect the image of the legal profession,” the NBA President added.
Comments are closed.