HOW TO MAKE A FORMAL COMPLAINT AGAINST A LEGAL PRACTITIONER IN NIGERIA
A formal complaint may be made against any Lawyer practicing in Nigeria in either of the 2 ways listed below:
1. Forward 4 copies of an Originating Application in writing to any of the following persons:
a. The Chief Justice of Nigeria: or
b. The Attorney-General of the Federation: or
c. The President of the Court of Appeal or any Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal: or
d. The Chairman, Body of Benchers: or
e. The President of the Nigerian Bar Association or the Chairman of a branch of the Nigerian Bar Association: or
f. The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee at No. 31 Lake Chad Crescent, Maitama, Abuja, FCT, Nigeria
2. The application must be supported by a statement of the allegation or complaint of misconduct, an affidavit of facts setting out the allegations, the facts and matters supporting the Originating Application and each allegation contained within it and exhibiting the document(s) relied upon by the Applicant.
NOTE THAT where a Complainant opts to forward the Originating Application and the supporting documents to the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, he/she should mark same "for the attention of the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee" and send the documents to the NBA Headquarters located at NBA HOUSE, PLOT 1101 MUHAMMADU BUHARI WAY, CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT, ABUJA, FCT, NIGERIA.
ALTERNATIVELY
1. A complainant should make an Originating Application in writing which must be supported by a statement of the allegation or complaint of misconduct, an affidavit of facts setting out the allegations, the facts and matters supporting the Originating Application and each allegation contained within it and exhibiting the document(s) relied upon by the Applicant.
2. The Complainant will then log on to https://nigerianbar.org.ng/report-lawyer, fill out all the provided fields and upload the necessary evidence(s) to support his/her claim.
IN CONCLUSION, PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF THE FOLLOWING POINTS:
1. Your petition will be forwarded to the Respondent for his/her response and the Complainant will be contacted if and/or when a hearing has been scheduled.
2. A panel may dispense with the hearing of the parties if in its opinion it can arrive at a conclusion that a prima facie case has or has not been made out against the Respondent in reliance on the documents before it.
3. When a panel finds out that a case has been made out against a Respondent in reliance on the documents before it, it shall expressly state so with or without giving a detailed reason for the basis of its decision
4. When a panel finds out that a case has not been made out against a Respondent in reliance on the documents before it and based on the evidence led before it, it shall dismiss the petition with or without giving a detailed reason for the basis of its decision