A mild drama ensued last Thursday at the Lagos State High Court after a judge ordered arrest of an alleged fake lawyer.

The suspect, who was fully robed in lawyers’ regalia including wig and gown, was in the court to represent a client but was taken into custody after the judge questioned his status as a legal practitioner.

In the footage seen by CITY LAWYER, the judge was heard saying: “Remove that wig. I’m ordering his arrest right away. Police, arrest him!”

The situation became more dramatic when the man allegedly attempted to flee the courtroom following the judge’s order.

The judge said: “Officer, there’s an impostor here. This man is not a lawyer. Remove your wig and gown. You are not a lawyer. I want you to arrest him.”

The development comes barely a month after another judge sitting at the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja convicted a 55-year-old man, John Nwawuto Anoruo, for impersonating a legal practitioner and fraudulently using a counterfeit seal of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).

Justice Abdulfattah Molawale Lawal convicted Anoruo after he pleaded guilty to a two-count charge filed by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The charges bordered on impersonation and the fraudulent use of a counterfeit NBA seal.

The court fined him ₦120,000 on the first count and ₦150,000 on the second, bringing the total penalty to ₦270,000 payable to the Lagos State Judiciary.

Justice Lawal also ordered the forfeiture of the forged NBA seal and the legal practitioner’s attire recovered from Anoruo to the Federal Government through the EFCC.

According to the EFCC, Anoruo operated a legal and educational consultancy in Ikorodu, Lagos. He came under investigation after submitting a petition dated September 22, 2025, to the anti-graft agency on behalf of clients over alleged misconduct by the management of Global West Vessel Specialist Nigeria Limited.

Investigators later discovered that the petition, as well as a subsequent letter withdrawing the complaint dated March 5, 2026, carried a forged NBA seal.

The EFCC said its investigation established that the Supreme Court enrolment number on the seal belonged to another legal practitioner. Anoruo was arrested on April 20, 2026.

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