Fresh trouble has hit prominent constitutional lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome, after the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee suspended his status as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria pending the conclusion of disciplinary proceedings against him.
The decision was reached during the Committee’s 173rd General Meeting held on June 23, 2026.
Announcing the development in a statement issued on Wednesday, the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court and Secretary of the LPPC, Kabir Akanbi, said the action was taken in line with Paragraph 26(6) of the Guidelines for the Conferment of the Rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
According to the statement, “The Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC), at its 173rd General Meeting held on 23rd June 2026, approved the suspension of Chief Mike Ozekhome from the Rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria.”
The Committee explained that the suspension would remain in place pending the outcome of disciplinary proceedings currently before the LPPC’s Disciplinary and Ethics Sub-Committee, as well as other related matters.
It stated that the measure became necessary to preserve the integrity, dignity and prestige attached to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria while the issues under review are being addressed.
The LPPC also directed Ozekhome to refrain from presenting himself as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria throughout the period of suspension.
The Committee further reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining the highest standards of ethics, integrity and discipline within the legal profession, stressing that the SAN rank must continue to enjoy public trust and respect.
The development comes against the backdrop of a series of legal battles involving the senior lawyer in recent months.
Back in January, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission filed criminal charges against Ozekhome over allegations of fraud and forgery linked to a disputed property located at 79, Randall Avenue, Neasden, London.
The matter was later taken over by the Attorney-General of the Federation, with prosecutors alleging that forged documents, including a Nigerian passport, were relied upon to support claims of ownership of the property.
The dispute over the London property attracted international attention after a U.K. First-tier Property Tribunal dismissed claims made by Ozekhome and others, citing evidence of fraud, impersonation and forged documents surrounding ownership of the house.
In March, the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja subsequently ordered the final forfeiture of the London property to the Federal Government after no claimant was able to successfully establish ownership.
