Ola Olukoyede, chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), says the judiciary should address the issue of senior lawyers receiving “obscene legal fees” from political officeholders.

Speaking in Abuja on Monday at the opening of the 6th annual criminal law review conference, Olukoyede said how the lawyers collect such fees “conflicts with existing statutes.”

“If a lawyer would not care about the source from which a sitting governor or any other public servant pays him millions of naira to defend him in the electoral tribunal, the lawyer must necessarily be mindful of the fact that the only proper way to collect such humongous amounts is through the financial system,” NAN quoted the EFCC chairman as saying.

“Aside from violating money laundering regulations, hauling millions of naira of professional fees from public office holders in liquid cash as senior lawyers do is only aimed at tax evasion.”

“It is needless to stress that the best act of mentoring from leaders of the bar to the younger generation of lawyers is by living out the ethical demands of the profession.”

The EFCC chairman also alleged that lawyers are aiding illicit financial flows into offshore accounts.

“The most traumatic discovery of the EFCC in recent years was the subjugation of national interest and wellbeing to personal interest by lawyers who aided briefcase foreign investors to fleece the nation in dubious transactions,” he added.

“The P&ID scam, the Mambilla power project, and Sunrise issues are cases in point.”

He said while the anti-graft agency had had cause to prosecute judicial officers and senior lawyers and earned convictions, his respect for the bench and senior members of the bar remained undiminished.

“However, based on the unique experiences of the EFCC in the prosecution of corruption cases, I am particularly interested in systemic reforms in our justice delivery system that capture the process for the discipline and regulation of judicial officers.”

“The regulation and discipline of legal practitioners. Ethics, values, and standards of legal practice.”

“These are essential to me because the job of the EFCC is ensuring that the corrupt do not find space in our national life. And when they do, to make them pay for their deeds.”

A special offences court in Ikeja has convicted Fatuyi Phillips, a former chairman of the Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria (NOGASA), over N43.5 million fraud.

Mojisola Dada, the presiding judge, sentenced Phillips to 21 years in jail.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on April 5, 2022, arraigned Phillips alongside his firm, Oceanview Oil and Gas Limited.

The NOGASA chairman had pleaded not guilty to a two-count charge, bordering on obtaining money by false pretence to the tune of N43,502,000.

The EFCC called five witnesses and tendered several documentary pieces of evidence, while the defendants called three witnesses.

According to a statement by the EFCC, Dada, while delivering the judgment, held that the prosecution proved its case against the defendants beyond reasonable doubt.

The judge sentenced Phillips to 14 years imprisonment on count one and seven years on count two, without an option of a fine.

The sentences are to be served concurrently.

Additionally, the judge ordered the second defendant, Oceanview Oil and Gas Limited, to pay a fine of N500,000 in respect of count one and another N250,000 in respect of count two within 30 days or face being wound up.

“The court further ordered the convicts to make restitution in the sum of $90,202 or the prevailing naira equivalent to the nominal complainants,” the statement reads.

“Phillips’ journey to the correctional centre began when he collected the sum of N43,502,000.00 from Elochukwu Okoye and Elebana Unique Ventures Nigeria Limited on behalf of WAPCIL Nigeria Limited with a false promise of selling its dollar equivalent ($98,870.00) to them.”

“He neither returned the naira nor dollar equivalent to the petitioners.”

Daniel Bwala, special adviser on media and public communications to President Bola Tinubu, says he “can never be drawn into a position” where he “will rub shoulders” with Bayo Onanuga.

Bwala made the remarks on Monday while answering questions on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme.

Onanuga is the special adviser to the president on information and strategy.

Bwala expressed his respect for Onanuga, stating that he would be happy to see him lead the presidential media team.

“Bayo Onanuga is an elder statesman. He’s a very brilliant journalist who has had his records. We are happy he’s leading us as a leader,” he said.

“I’m happy for him to lead. I haven’t been told, but I’m happy for him to lead. Because he’s an elder, I will respect him.”

“And he has his own record. He has served Nigeria well. He has a proven record as a journalist.”

“I can never be drawn into a position where I will rub shoulders with him. I doff my cap for him.”

“My own is, if he says ‘go and carry that table,’ I will just do so; that’s my job. It’s not about title.”

Bwala also confirmed that he has taken over the role previously held by Ajuri Ngelale, the former presidential spokesperson.

Ngelale, who was special adviser on media and publicity to the president, vacated the position in September.

The former media aide to the president had said he would be embarking on an “indefinite leave of absence to frontally deal with medical matters” affecting his immediate, nuclear family.

Confusion had arisen after Onanuga took over as presidential spokesman following Ngelale’s departure. Onanuga also moved into the office previously occupied by Ngelale at the presidential villa.

However, during the interview, Bwala announced himself as the presidential spokesperson, clarifying that there had only been a change in office nomenclature.

“When Ajuri was there, the nomenclature was special adviser on media and publicity, and now that role is called special adviser on media and public communications (State House). Sunday Dare works from the office of the minister of information,” he added.