Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, has sacked the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Cyprian Akaolisa, asking him to hand over with immediate effect.

The announcement was made on Monday in a terse two-paragraph statement titled,“Imo State Government Special Public Service Announcement”.

The statement signed  by the Commissioner for Information, Public Orientation, and Strategy, Chief Declan Emelumba, gave no reason for Akaolisa’s dismissal.

He was instructed to promptly hand over all government properties in his possession to the Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice.

The statement, reads:“The Governor of Imo State, His Excellency, Senator Hope Uzodimma, CON, has approved the immediate removal from office of the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barr. C.O.C. Akaolisa.

“The erstwhile commissioner has been directed to hand over all government property under his care to the State Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, immediately.”

Akaolisa was a close political ally of Uzodimma and had served as a placeholder for the position of Deputy Governor during the 2019 elections.

However, tensions reportedly arose between the two, particularly after Akaolisa was mistakenly removed in a previous cabinet reshuffle.

At the time, Emelumba issued a follow-up clarification, explaining that the inclusion was in error and that Akaolisa was not among the commissioners meant to be sacked.

In 2021, Akaolisa was barred from legal practice by the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee over alleged professional misconduct.

The sanction followed the findings of a six-member disciplinary panel led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dauda J.B., which, on July 9, 2021, found Akaolisa guilty of facilitating the bail of a murder suspect while serving as attorney general.

The suspect, Mr. Paulinus Nwanochie, had been in custody since 2013 and was standing trial for the alleged murder of one Mr. Alphonsus Akuma at the Orlu High Court 2, presided over by Justice Onii Egbunighe.

All parties involved were from Orsu Local Government Area of the state.

Akaolisa was alleged to have previously served as legal counsel for the accused before his appointment as attorney general.

However, in April 2025, the Supreme Court  overturned the five-year ban imposed by the LPDC.

In a unanimous judgment, the court found the LPDC’s decision flawed and set aside the ruling. Justice Mohammed Baba Idris, who led the five-member panel, stated:

“Having considered the arguments presented by counsel, the court found the appeal of the appellant meritorious, and it is hereby allowed. The decision of the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee delivered on the 9th of July 2021, finding the appellant liable for infamous conduct and suspending him from legal practice for a period of five years, is hereby set aside.”