The Federal Ministry of Justice in Nigeria has disbursed a staggering N1.1 billion in professional fees to some of the country’s leading lawyers over the last three years.

This revelation follows an analysis of data from GovSpend, a platform dedicated to tracking government expenditures.

Prominent beneficiaries of these payments include Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) Chief Afe Babalola, Wole Olanipekun, and Dr. Alex Izinyon, among 23 other legal firms.

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The scope of their professional services ranged from offering legal advice and drafting documents to representing the government in court and handling regulatory compliance matters.

Breakdown of Payments

According to records, Babalola, Olanipekun, and Izinyon collectively received N482.7 million in July 2024 alone. Of this amount:

Chief Afe Babalola received N372.9 million on July 23 for representing the Federal Government in a case registered as FHC/ABJ/SC/8962/2023.

Wole Olanipekun was paid N103.6 million on July 26, while Dr. Alex Izinyon received N6.2 million on July 29.

Further analysis revealed that in 2022, 17 lawyers were paid a combined total of N359.7 million, while four lawyers collectively received N319.3 million in 2021.

Notable beneficiaries include: Savannah Law Chambers: N17.4 million in 2022 and an additional N29 million.

LDS Legal: N70.9 million in 2022 and N21.8 million in 2021, Sulaiman Salihu & Co: N31.4 million in two tranches in 2022 and N100.5 million in 2021.

Other firms like Lex Habitae, Rashida Mohammed & Co, and King’s Chambers each received between N15 million and N22 million for their services.

Tax Payments

As part of the payments, Babalola paid N31 million in Value Added Tax (VAT) and N41.4 million in withholding tax to the Federal Inland Revenue Service and the Ministry of Justice, respectively.

Similarly, Olanipekun paid N8.6 million in VAT and N11.5 million in withholding tax.

Despite the comprehensive scale of services rendered, the payments have raised concerns about the transparency and accountability of government expenditures.

The Legal Practitioners Remuneration Order, 2023, outlines guidelines for legal fees, yet the significant sums disbursed to these top lawyers and firms have prompted calls for greater scrutiny of how public funds are allocated.

The Northern Star Initiative has condemned an aerial bombing in Sokoto State that reportedly killed at least ten civilians and destroyed property in Gidan Bida and Runtawa communities, Silame Local Government Area.

The group’s Director General, Dr. Abdullahi Idris, made this known in a statement issued in Kaduna on Friday.

He described the incident as “deeply troubling” and called for an independent investigation to uncover the truth behind the attack.

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“There are conflicting accounts of the incident between the villagers, state officials, and military authorities,” Idris said.

“However, what is incontrovertible is the fact that the communities were bombed and innocent persons died.”

Dr. Idris linked the incident to a pattern of alleged military mishaps, referencing a similar bombing last year in Kaduna’s Tudun Biri community during a peaceful Eid-el-Maulud celebration.

“These errors are becoming too frequent and too costly in terms of human lives,” he said.

The advocacy group called on the federal government to establish an independent, high-level investigative committee to ensure accountability and justice for the victims.

“An independent high-level investigation should be carried out immediately, and those found liable should be punished.

“Adequate and commensurate compensation should also be given to those who lost their loved ones in the unfortunate incident.”

Dr. Idris urged military authorities to implement urgent measures to prevent further civilian casualties in military operations, stressing the need to protect human lives and uphold accountability.

The Nigerian government has dismissed allegations by Niger Republic’s military leader, Gen Abdourahamane Tchiani, accusing Nigeria of collaborating with France to destabilize his country.

In a statement released on Thursday, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, described the claims as “baseless” and without merit.

The statement reads, “These claims exist solely in the realm of imagination. Nigeria has never engaged in any overt or covert alliance with France — or any other country — to sponsor terrorist attacks or destabilize the Niger Republic.”

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The Federal Government emphasized that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in his capacity as Chairman of ECOWAS, has demonstrated exemplary leadership in addressing Niger’s political crisis.

Despite the military takeover in Niger, Tinubu has prioritized dialogue and diplomacy, the statement noted.

“Nigeria remains committed to fostering peace, harmony, and historic diplomatic ties with Niger,” Idris said.

In response to claims that Nigeria supports terrorist activities, including harboring the so-called Lakurawa group, the government underscored its ongoing efforts to combat terrorism in the region. Recently, Nigerian security forces launched Operation Forest Sanity III, codenamed Operation Chase Lakurawa Out, targeting the group’s activities.

“It is absurd to suggest that Nigeria, a regional leader in combating terrorism, would conspire with foreign powers to undermine peace and security in Niger,” Idris stated.

The government also dismissed allegations that Nigeria seeks to sabotage Niger’s economy, pointing instead to its active role in joint development projects like the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline and the Kano-Maradi Railway.

“These accusations are illogical and counterproductive. Nigeria has consistently supported Niger’s economic development through joint energy and infrastructure projects,” Idris noted.

Nigeria accused General Tchiani of using the allegations as a diversion from Niger’s internal challenges and a ploy to undermine ECOWAS’s stance on unconstitutional changes in government.

Idris said, “Those making such claims must provide credible evidence to substantiate them. Any attempt to blackmail Nigeria over ECOWAS’s principled stance against the unconstitutional seizure of power in Niger Republic is both disingenuous and doomed to fail.”

The Nigerian government urged the leadership in Niger to focus on addressing domestic challenges and fostering regional cooperation.

The statement added “President Tchiani’s unfounded claims are a dangerous distraction. Nigeria remains committed to regional stability and will continue to lead efforts to combat terrorism and promote development across West Africa.”