The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Bwari Branch, has apprehended a suspected serial impostor, Richard Ikenna Udeozo, for allegedly impersonating a lawyer at the branch secretariat in Abuja.
Udeozo was arrested on Wednesday while trying to fraudulently obtain a lawyer’s stamp and seal issued under the name of Richard Ikenna Amanoh, a verified NBA member currently residing in Canada.
According to NBA Bwari Chairman, Paul Daudu, SAN, Udeozo had created a fake profile using Amanoh’s Supreme Court enrollment number to appear as a licensed lawyer and request official documents.
Security officials noticed discrepancies in his documents and behavior. When confronted, Udeozo attempted to escape by climbing a fence but was caught and detained. He’s currently held at the FCDA Police Station and will be transferred to the State CID for further investigation.
His arrest was made possible by a new rule requiring lawyers to collect stamps and seals in person—an identity check that exposed his fraud.
NBA rep Sherifdeen Bello confirmed the case will be escalated to the national body for disciplinary and legal action.
This isn’t Udeozo’s first offense. In 2017, he was arrested in Owerri for impersonating a lawyer for five years using the same identity. He was then charged with impersonation, forgery, and using fake documents—including a forged Call to Bar certificate.
At that time, the NBA and police described him as a serial bail jumper and a danger to the profession. He bizarrely claimed his real certificate had fallen into water.
The NBA Bwari Branch reiterated its zero-tolerance stance on impostors and urged the public to report suspicious legal activities.
