The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has warned lawyers against charging clients in foreign currencies, saying practitioners found culpable risk prosecution.
The warning was issued by the Acting Zonal Director of the EFCC Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, Ikoyi, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE I Bawa Usman Kaltungo, during a meeting with members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Lagos Task Force on Illegal Practice of Law.
Kaltungo disclosed that the Directorate was already handling two cases involving lawyers accused of charging clients in dollars.
Speaking during the interactive session on Friday, September 11, 2026, he said charging professional fees in foreign currencies was both illegal and unethical because the naira remained Nigeria’s legal tender.
“We have two cases of lawyers who were found to have charged fees in dollars. This is unethical and illegal, as the Naira is the country’s legal tender,” he said.
Kaltungo warned that the EFCC would prosecute lawyers found engaging in the practice, despite the Commission’s preference to avoid unnecessary disputes with members of the legal profession.
“We usually don’t want to have issues with members of the NBA. However, some lawyers are pushing us. Any lawyer we find culpable of charging clients in foreign currencies will be prosecuted,” he said.
The EFCC official also cautioned legal practitioners against using the name of the Commission to justify excessive charges to their clients.
While acknowledging that lawyers have the professional right to determine their fees, Kaltungo said practitioners should not falsely tell clients that charges imposed on them were demanded by, or connected to, the EFCC.
“They have the right to charge their clients as much as they like, but they shouldn’t drag the EFCC into it. They should desist from all these unethical practices,” he said.
Earlier, Head of the NBA Lagos Task Force on Illegal Practice of Law, Moshood Abiola, commended the EFCC over the recent prosecution and conviction of a fake lawyer.
Abiola described the prosecution as “swift and reassuring”, adding that the NBA Task Force was handling several cases involving alleged malpractice by legal practitioners.
He said stronger collaboration between the NBA and EFCC would help ensure that lawyers involved in criminal conduct were prosecuted.
“We have several cases like that, and we would like to strengthen our collaboration with the EFCC so that these individuals can be prosecuted and made to face the law,” Abiola said.
During the meeting, ACE I Orhieoghene Adewunmi of the EFCC’s Department of Legal and Prosecution urged the NBA to publicise cases involving lawyers found culpable of unethical practices.
According to her, appropriate publicity would help members of the public identify practitioners sanctioned for professional misconduct and make informed decisions before engaging their services.
Another EFCC official, ACE II Henry Anasoh, raised concerns about alleged instances in which some lawyers assist suspects in obstructing investigations or frustrating the administration of justice.
Anasoh cited cases in which lawyers allegedly helped suspects forge documents for bail applications, including purported medical records presented to support requests for bail.
He also expressed concern about legal actions seeking to restrain the EFCC from investigating or prosecuting suspects, including fundamental rights enforcement suits arising from invitations issued by the Commission.
Anasoh called on the NBA to support the EFCC’s efforts to tackle what he described as “unscrupulous practitioners”, stressing that the alleged misconduct of a few lawyers should not damage the reputation and integrity of the wider legal profession.
The meeting was part of efforts to strengthen cooperation between the EFCC and the NBA on issues involving illegal practice, professional misconduct and alleged criminal conduct within the legal profession.
