Legal Maverick Mike Ozekhome's SAN Rank Suspended by LPPC

The Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC) has officially suspended the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) rank of prominent constitutional lawyer, Mike Ozekhome.

This significant decision was reached during the committee’s 173rd General Meeting, which convened on June 23, 2026. The suspension is not permanent but will remain in effect pending the conclusive outcome of disciplinary proceedings initiated against him.

Kabir Akanbi, who serves as both the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court and the LPPC secretary, communicated this development in a statement released on Wednesday.

He affirmed that the committee’s approval for the suspension was made in strict adherence to Paragraph 26(6) of the Guidelines established for the Conferment of the Rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

The LPPC emphasized that this action was imperative to safeguard the inherent integrity and respected standing associated with the SAN rank while the various matters under its review are being thoroughly considered by its Disciplinary and Ethics Sub-Committee.

During this period of suspension, the committee has issued a clear directive to Chief Mike Ozekhome, instructing him to cease presenting himself publicly or professionally as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

This measure underscores the LPPC’s unwavering commitment to upholding the highest professional standards within the legal profession and, crucially, to preserving the public’s confidence in the esteemed SAN rank.

The suspension unfolds against a backdrop of several ongoing and serious legal disputes involving the senior lawyer.

Notably, in January, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) formally filed criminal charges against Ozekhome.

These charges specifically pertain to allegations of fraud and forgery, which are directly linked to a property located at 79 Randall Avenue, Neasden, London. Subsequently, the Attorney General of the Federation took over the prosecution of this high-profile case.

Prosecutors have alleged that a series of forged documents, including a falsified Nigerian passport, were illicitly utilized to substantiate claims of ownership regarding the aforementioned London property.

The contentious property dispute has also been a central feature in proceedings before a United Kingdom property tribunal.

The tribunal, after its review, decisively dismissed the claims put forth by Ozekhome and his associates, citing compelling evidence of “fraud, impersonation, and forged documents” directly pertinent to the ownership of the house.

Further compounding these legal challenges, in March, the Federal High Court in Abuja issued a definitive order for the final forfeiture of the disputed London property.

The court's decision mandated that the property be returned to the Federal Government, following the inability of any claimant, including Chief Ozekhome, to successfully establish legitimate ownership.