The Ebonyi State Police Command has arrested a man identified as Ugwumba Enyinnaya for allegedly impersonating a lawyer and practising illegally for more than 11 years.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Joshua Ukandu, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, explaining that the arrest followed an investigation into a petition alleging that the suspect obtained money under false pretences.
According to the police, Enyinnaya allegedly collected ₦650,000 from a man identified as Chukwu David in March 2026 to facilitate the processing and approval of a street naming project in Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
The petitioner reportedly alleged that the suspect presented himself as a lawyer with several years of legal experience.
The police said further investigations after his arrest revealed that Enyinnaya had allegedly been posing as a legal practitioner despite not being qualified as one.
During interrogation, the suspect reportedly admitted that he was not a lawyer, according to the police statement.
A search of his apartment allegedly led to the recovery of several items suspected to have been used to support his claim of being a legal practitioner.
The recovered items included a Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) seal, a portrait of the suspect dressed in barrister’s regalia, and purported Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) and Master of Laws (LL.M.) certificates bearing his name and that of Enugu State University of Science and Technology.
Other items recovered were a barrister’s robe and wig, court judgments allegedly obtained by the suspect, and various legal documents he was suspected of preparing.
The documents reportedly included powers of attorney and deeds of conveyance.
The police confirmed that the suspect had been charged to court over the allegations.
The Commissioner of Police in Ebonyi State, CP Hope Okafor, commended the officers involved in uncovering the alleged impersonation.
She urged members of the public to verify the credentials of individuals offering legal services and report suspicious activities to the police.
The command reiterated the importance of checking the professional qualifications of people claiming to be lawyers to avoid falling victim to fraud.
