The Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee under the chairmanship of Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, has approved the elevation of 62 legal practitioners to the Inner Bar.
Hajo Bello, Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court and Secretary to LPPC, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.
The rank of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria is awarded as a mark of excellence to members of the legal profession who have distinguished themselves as advocates and academics.
The new appointees for the year 2022 exercise are in order of seniority at the bar.
Among the 62 are three prosecutors with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and nine law professors.
The meeting further approved a new Guidelines for the conferment of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria and all matters pertaining to the rank to guide future exercises.
The law Professors are Kathleen Ebelechukwu Okafor, Muhammed Taofeeq Abdulrasaq, Amokaye Oludayo Gabriel, Ismail Adeniyi Olatunbosun, Abdullahi Sheu Zuru, Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, Theodore Bala Maiyaki, Olaide Abass Gbadamosi and Chimezie Kingsley Okorie.
The three EFCC Lawyers are Wahab Kunle Shitu, Sylvanus Tahir and Rotimi Iseoluwa Oyedepo.
Other new senior advocates are former Head of Afe Babalola Chambers Bankole Joel Akomolafe, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, Johnson Tarigho Omophe, Lawrence Sunday Oko-Jaja, Christopher Agbomeirhe Sunday Oshomegie and Sanusi Olugbenga Said.
Also elevated are Emmanuel Idemudia Oboh, Diri Said Mohammed, Oladipo Akanmu Tolani, Ayodeji Oyewole Omotoso, Chijioke Ogbonna Erondu, Ajoku Kingsley Obinna, Yakubu Maikasuwa, Henry Eshijonam Omu and Dagogo Israel Iboroma.
The list also has Joseph Ademu Akubo, Gozie Bertrand Obi, Inam Akpadiagha Wilson, Abubakar Bature Sulu-Gambari, Abioye Araoye Oloyede Asanike, Bolarinwa Elijah Aidi, Tonye Tombete Jenewari Krukrubo, Aderemi Moshood Nashua, Kolapo Olugbenga Kolade and Samuel Peter Karigbo.
Also elevated are Ifeanyichukwu Sylvester Obiakor, Olasoji Olaiya Olowolafe, Mutalubi Ojo Adebayo, Victor Odafe Ogude, Sulayman Olawale Ibrahim, Mumini Ishola Hanafi, Tanko Tanko Ashang, Damian Ohakwe Okoro, Andrew Mwajim Malgwi and Etukwu Onah.
The LPPC list also has Adeboro Lateef Adamson, Kelechi Chinedum Obi, Andrew Osemedua Odum, Okoro Okechukwu Edwin, Godson Chukwudi Ugochukwu, Steven Onyechi Ononye, Ikani Kanu Agabi, Mustapha Shaba Ibrahim and Muzudeen Yunus Abdullahi.
The rest are Magaji Mato Ibrahim, Sunusi Musa, Oladoyin Oluseyi Awoyale, Chukwudubem Bonaventure Anyigbo, Lukman Oyebanji Fagbemi and Michael Jonathan Numa.
The new members of the Inner Bar would be inaugurated on November 21, 2022.