IPOB leader's lawyer, Emeka Ephraim, barred from practicing in Nigeria

Emeka Ephraim Ugwuonye.

Emeka Ephraim Ugwuonye, a former US-based Nigerian has been barred from practicing in Nigeria.
This directive was issued out by the Nigeria's Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC), a body whose mandate is to punish misconduct among lawyers.It was also learnt that the embattled lawyer was disbarred in New York and Maryland for professional misconduct in 2013 before he relocated to Nigeria to continue his practice.

He was part of the legal team who facilitated the release of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB from Kuje prison.

Report has it that LPDC ordered the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court of Nigeria on the 23rd of May to strike out Mr. Ugwuonye’s name.

The order followed a case in which he was accused of having failed to disclose his personal interest in a property he was briefed to obtain letters of Administration for, which involved a widow.

In 2016, he had been listed among others facing disciplinary action before the LPDC over fraudulent activities. The list was published as an advertorial signed by LDPC Secretary H.A. Turaki

J.S. Okutepa (SAN), the Chief Prosecutor of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) at the LPDC is said to have found Ugwuonye liable for fraud and promised to give details of the direction of LPDC in due course.

Barrister Emeka Ephraim Ugwuonye was given 28 days to appeal the ruling of the LPDC.