NEWS RELEASE

RE: NIGERIAN LAW SOCIETY DISCLAIMER AGAINST TONYE CLINTON JAJA, FURTHER INFORMATION AND CAUTION TO LAWYERS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC

PUBLIC STATEMENT
In view of recent publications in online media, newspapers and other channels and as decided by the National Executive Council of the Nigerian Law Society, we deem it necessary to write the general public regarding the recent rampage in the public space by one TONYE CLINTON JAJA (herein referred to as “Jaja”) against the character, image and interest of the NIGERIAN LAW SOCIETY, herein referred to as “the Society” or “NLS”.

ABOUT THE NIGERIAN LAW SOCIETY (NLS)

The Nigerian Law Society is a progressive, independent, and inclusive professional association of legal practitioners in Nigeria. Established to promote the highest standards of legal practice, ethical conduct, and professional development, the NLS is dedicated to advancing the rule of law, protecting the interests of legal practitioners, and fostering a legal system that is equitable, transparent, and accountable. The Society, whose members are in all states of Nigeria, engages in advocacy, legal research, and policy reform to ensure that the Nigerian legal profession is robust, competitive, and aligned with both constitutional imperatives and global best practices.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
The aims and objectives of the Association shall be:
a) To enhance and uphold the dignity of the legal profession and the welfare of Legal Practitioners.
b) To protect and defend human rights through legal support and interventions.
1c) To engage in advocacy for a just and egalitarian Association and observance of the rule of law.
d) To facilitate access to justice for vulnerable persons.
e) To support the administration of justice and all related matters.
f) To enhance the legal profession through continuing legal education and training.
g) Engaging in advocacy for the reform of democracy and strengthening our nation’s institutional framework.
h) To develop and implement strategies for legislative advocacy in Nigeria.
i) To collaborate and/or partner with individuals, regional, national, continental, and/or international organizations/institutions to achieve the aims of the Association.

TRUSTEES.
The following are the Trustees unanimously appointed by the promoters of the NLS:

1. CHIEF BOLAJI AYORINDE. SAN. OFR.
2. MELA AUDU NUNGHE. SAN.
3. AMBASSADOR GARBA GAJAM
4. MRS. CHIOMA FERGUSON
5. TEJUMOLA ADIGUN
   CORPORATE STATUS.
   The Nigerian Law Society started operating as an Unincorporated Association pursuant to the provisions of Section 40 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which provides that : “40. Every person shall be entitled to assemble freely and associate with other persons, and in particular he may form or belong to any political party, trade union or any other association for the protection of his interests”. As confirmed in decided cases, the implication of the above provision is that no one can be compelled to form or belong to a single association or be prevented from forming or belonging to more than one association for the protection of his interests.
   Under the Nigerian law, an unincorporated association is a group of persons who have come together for a common interest or purpose without undergoing formal registration as a corporate entity with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). The right of lawyers to form and operate as an unincorporated Association is recognized by the Supreme Court in the case of Fawehinmi v. Nigerian Bar Association (No. 2 (1989) and other cases.

By the provision of section 823 (1) of the Company and Allied Matters Act, registration of an association or society as a corporate body is not compulsory in Nigeria. It is optional.

APPLICATION FOR INCORPORATION.
In August 2022, application was made by the Trustees of the NLS to the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) for the registration of the Society as an Incorporated Trustee pursuant to the Companies and Allied Matters Act of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

When the application was refused unlawfully, another application was made in September, 2022 which was similarly refused. The NLS was compelled to drag the Corporate Affairs Commission to court via SUIT NO: FHC/ABJ/CS/482/2023; CHIEF BOLAJI AYORINDE AND 5 OTHERS VS. CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION.
The Federal High Court, in its well-considered judgement delivered on the 15th day of December, 2023, declared that the grounds for the refusal to register the NLS were unlawful and ordered the CAC to register the NLS. Instead of compliance, the CAC appealed against the judgment and the futile appeal is still pending at the Court of Appeal till date. Until the appeal is determined by the Court of Appeal, the declarations and orders made in the judgement of the Federal High Court stands validly hence it will be an affront to the court and the law for the corporate Affairs Commission to register any other group of persons as Trustees in any of the names already pronounced upon by the Federal High Court in its judgement delivered in favour of the Nigerian Law Society on the 15th day of December, 2023.

As things stand now, the Nigerian Law Society is still existing and operating as an unincorporated association of Nigerian lawyers whose Trustees remain as follows:

1. CHIEF BOLAJI AYORINDE. SAN. OFR.
2. MELA AUDU NUNGHE. SAN.
3. AMBASSADOR GARBA GAJAM.
4. MRS. CHIOMA FERGUSON
5. TEJUMOLA ADIGUN.
   Apart from the Nigerian Law Society pronounced in the judgement of the Federal High Court obtained by the Trustees referred to above, there is no other lawful association in existence with the name of Nigerian Law Society in Nigeria.
   ON THE BASIS OF THE FOREGOING, WE HEREBY MAKE THE FOLLOWING DECLARATIONS:
6. That all the claims, representations, expressions, correspondence issued or uttered by one TONYE CLINTON JAJA, as far as it relates to the Nigerian Law Society, are products of his truancy hence should not be accorded any attention at all by you, your office, your body or institution or the general public.
7. That we reinstate our position as contained in the disclaimer issued by the Nigerian Law Society and dated the 27th DAY OF December 2025 and stand by the contents thereof as our official position. (Copy attached).
8. That the appointment of Jaja as Executive Director of NLS expired in July 2025 and his request for renewal was rejected hence it is grossly immoral, unethical, and fraudulent for him to continue to refer to himself as Executive Director of NLS.
9. That consequent upon his removal, we verily believe that he instigated the filing of two cases (1) Suit Number FHC/ABJ/CS/1506/2025 at the Federal High Court Abuja and (2) Suit No: FHC/AB/FHR/90/25; TIMOTHY TERSUGH AHUA VS CHIEF MELA NUNGHE AND 5 ORS OLUWADARE THOMAS VS CHIEF MELA NUNGHE, SAN, AND 8 ORS at the Federal High Court Abeokuta, against the NLS and our leaders.
10. That before the termination of his employment, Jaja exploited his position as Executive Director to solicit for fund in the name of the NLS from donors into his personal bank account for the publication of the NLS journal. He requested a donor named Mr. Oluwakayode to pay the amount of N250,000.00 into his personal United Bank for Africa (UBA) savings account number 2015596161 with name of Tonye Clinton Jaja, contrary to the policy and ethics of the NLS.
11. That before the termination of his employment, Jaja exploited the name of the NLS to secure undue advantage to solicit and gain opportunity to write the exams to qualify as a lawyer in the Kingdom of Lesotho being conducted by the Law Society of Lesotho without the prior knowledge and approval of the NLS.
12. That before the termination of his employment, Jaja used the name of the NLS to solicit and gain personal opportunity for the contract to conduct training in Legislative Drafting with the Lesotho Law Reform Commission and the Office of Parliamentary Counsel of the Kingdom of Lesotho without the prior knowledge and approval of the NLS.
13. That Jaja and his two other cohorts fraudulently claimed to have removed and expelled the National officers and Trustees of the NLS on the basis of paragraphs deposed in a Counter affidavit filed in a pending Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1506/2025 of which he is not a party and knowing fully well that he has no such power of removal and ought to have the mental clarity that such cannot be done whimsically by any individual.
14. That Jaja procured and have been parading one Ambassador Dahiru Aliyu (non-NLS member) as the President; one Ms Olaitan Abiodun (non-NLS member) as the Vice President and himself as the Executive Director of a new “Nigerian Law Society” falsely and deceitfully.
15. That at the expiration of his tenure as Executive Director of the NLS, Jaja stole and has been using the letter head with the logo of the Nigerian Law Society with a different address and phone number to write letters to several persons, offices and institutions unlawfully, criminally and fraudulently.
16. That Jaja procured the registration of the name of the “Nigerian Law Society” as a small/medium scale business with the Small and Medium Enterprises.
    Development Agency of Nigeria contrary to the nature, character and objectives of the NLS as a body of Legal Practitioners enrolled to practice as Barristers and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria under the Legal Practitioners Act of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and and not a small/medium scale business. The purported registration of the Nigerian Law Society as a small/medium scale business with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) by TONYE CLINTON JAJA has no relation whatsoever with the Nigerian Law Society, the judgement creditor in Suit No: SUIT NO: FHC/ABJ/CS/482/2023.
17. Our Society is not a Small and Medium Enterprises or a trading organisation. Our NLS has been ordered by the Federal High Court to be registered as an Incorporated Trustees which is not a trading or profit-making organisation. The Nigerian Law Society purportedly registered by TONYE CLINTON JAJA with SMEDAN is clearly NOT OURS. We also know that registration as a business with SMEDAN does not confer corporate personality on such business name under the Company and Allied Matters Act.
18. That TONYE CLINTON JAJA procured the registration of the name of the “Nigerian Law Society” and “Body of Senior Counsel of Nigeria”, “FOR ISSUANCE OF BLUE STAMPS AND BLUE SILKS RANK OF LEGAL EXCELLENCE TO NIGERIAN LAWYERS WHO HOLD BACHELOR OF LAWS (LLB) DEGREES AND ARE INTO NON-LITIGATION PRACTICE OUTSIDE THE AMBITS OF THE LEGAL PRACTITIONERS ACT 1962 without the authorization of the Nigerian Law Society and contrary to law.
19. That there is no collaboration with the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners-ALDRAP to offer free online continuing legal education programmes which will commence 1st January 2026 as falsely claimed by Jaja.
20. That Jaja and or one Dahiru Aliyu, have been writing spurious letters to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the President, Court of Appeal, the Director General, Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, the Federal High Court, the Nigerian Bar Association etc. fraudulently presenting himself as the Executive Director of the Nigerian Law Society whereas, the NLS has no Executive Director currently.
21. By a public notice dated 22nd January, 2026, Jaja unlawfully and fraudulently solicited from “members of the Nigerian Law Society (NLS) and others payment of annual dues of between N12,000.00 and N150,000 and freewill donations to the Nigerian Law Society into the following bank account on or before 30th March, 2026:
    ACCOUNT NAME: *NIGERIA LAW SOCIETY.
    ACCOUNT NUMBER 2047951361
    BANK NAME: FIRST BANK OF NIGERIA” Whereas, to the knowledge of Jaja, the Nigerian Law Society does not operate any bank Account with the First bank of Nigeria as published and we verily believe that his motive and target is to defraud our members of their hard-earned money.
22. That the activities of Jaja and his cohorts against the NLS and our leaders, trustees and officers are giving us serious concern about his mental clarity and stability hence our decision to alert you the general public that someone, to whom the defence of insanity may be available, is rabidly on rampage in the public space and so that the general public will not fall victim of his antics.
    We appreciate your patience and understanding in this matter and we hope you will take notice of our caution henceforth as regards the issues and persons contained herein. Thank you.
    Yours faithfully,
    (For and on behalf of the Nigerian Law Society)
    MELA AUDU NUNGHE. SAN Trustee and President.
    OLASUPO OJO ESQ. General Secretary
    DATED THIS 9TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2026.
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