The arrest followed a discreet investigation launched by the Command after receiving a petition bordering on obtaining money under false pretences.
Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, Ebonyi State Command, have arrested a suspect identified as Ugwumba Francis Enyinnaya for impersonating a legal practitioner and fraudulently parading himself as a barrister and solicitor for over a decade.
The arrest followed a discreet investigation launched by the Command after receiving a petition bordering on obtaining money under false pretences.
According to a statement released on Tuesday by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Joshua Ukandu, the suspect allegedly defrauded a victim under the guise of providing legal services.
“According to the petition, the suspect allegedly collected the sum of N650,000 from one Mr. Chukwu David in March 2026 to facilitate the processing and approval for the naming of a street in Ohaozara Local Government Area.
The petitioner alleged that the suspect presented himself as an experienced lawyer,” the statement read.
Following his arrest, police investigations confirmed that Enyinnaya had been falsely parading himself as a legal practitioner for more than eleven years.
During interrogation, the suspect confessed that he possessed no legal qualifications or call-to-bar certification.
An execution of a search warrant at his residence led to the recovery of several incriminating items, including: Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) seal, framed portrait of the suspect dressed in full legal regalia, lawyer’s robe and wig, forged Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) and Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree certificates bearing Enugu State University of Science and Technology.
Purported court judgments, as well as various legal documents prepared by him, including Powers of Attorney and Deeds of Conveyance.
The Command confirmed that the suspect has been charged to court.
Reacting to the arrest, the Commissioner of Police, Ebonyi State Command, CP Hope Urunwa Okafor, commended the operatives for their diligence in uncovering the long-standing impersonation.
“Members of the public are strongly advised to verify the credentials of individuals offering legal services and to promptly report suspicious activities to the police,” CP Okafor urged.
