EFCC Warns Lawyers Against Charging Clients In Foreign Currencies

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has warned legal practitioners against charging clients in foreign currencies, describing the practice as illegal and unethical.

This was disclosed this in a statement via the anti-graft agency’s official X handle on Monday, September 14, 2026.

According to the statement, the Acting Zonal Director of the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, Ikoyi, ACE I Bawa Usman Kaltungo, issued the warning on Friday, September 11, when he received a delegation of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Lagos Task Force on Illegal Practice of Law.

The delegation, led by its Head, Moshood Abiola, was on a courtesy visit to the EFCC office in Lagos.

Kaltungo expressed concern over the activities of lawyers engaging in what he described as illegal and unethical practices, warning that the Commission would prosecute practitioners found culpable.

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He disclosed that the Directorate was currently handling two cases involving lawyers who allegedly charged their clients in dollars.

“We have two cases of lawyers who were found to have charged fees in dollars. This is unethical and illegal, as the Naira is the country’s legal tender,” Kaltungo said.

The EFCC official said the Commission was reluctant to have disputes with members of the NBA but warned that lawyers who violate the law would face prosecution.

“We usually don’t want to have issues with members of the NBA. However, some lawyers are pushing us. Any lawyer we find culpable of charging clients in foreign currencies will be prosecuted,” he said.

Kaltungo also cautioned lawyers against using the name of the EFCC to impose excessive charges on their clients.

He acknowledged the right of legal practitioners to determine their professional fees but warned them against falsely attributing charges to the Commission.

“Also, lawyers should stop name-dropping the EFCC to overcharge their clients,” he said.

“They have the right to charge their clients as much as they like, but they shouldn’t drag the EFCC into it. They should desist from all these unethical practices,” he added.

Earlier, Abiola commended the EFCC for its recent prosecution and conviction of a fake lawyer, describing the process as “swift and reassuring.”

He said the NBA Task Force was handling several cases involving alleged malpractice by lawyers and called for stronger collaboration with the EFCC to ensure that practitioners found culpable of criminal conduct were prosecuted.

“We appreciate the EFCC for the recent prosecution of a fake lawyer. It was swift, and we are glad that the EFCC was able to get the court to convict him,” Abiola said.

He added that the NBA had other cases involving alleged malpractice and wanted closer cooperation with the Commission to ensure offenders were brought to justice.

“However, recently, we have a case involving a lawyer who has been engaging in malpractice. We have several cases like that, and we would like to strengthen our collaboration with the EFCC so that these individuals can be prosecuted and made to face the law,” he said.

The statement said ACE I Orhieoghene Adewunmi of the Department of Legal and Prosecution, Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, also urged the NBA to ensure that appropriate publicity was given to lawyers found culpable of unethical practices.

She said such publications would enable members of the public to identify practitioners sanctioned for professional misconduct and avoid engaging their services.

Also speaking, ACE II Henry Anasoh of the Department of Legal and Prosecution raised concerns about lawyers allegedly assisting suspects to obstruct investigations or frustrate the administration of justice.

Anasoh cited instances where lawyers allegedly helped suspects forge documents for bail applications, including purported medical records presented in support of such applications.