Connect with us

News

CSCCN Calls for Probe of Alleged Legal Impersonation, Forgery by Two Individuals

Published

on

Cyril Ogar

The Civil Society Coalition Against Corruption in Nigeria (CSCCN) has called on the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Nigeria Police Force to investigate allegations of identity theft, forgery, impersonation and unauthorised legal practice involving Tunde Ogunsakin and Angela Oviawe.

The coalition made the call at a press conference held on Monday in Abuja, where its Chief Convener, Comrade Omoba Michael, urged relevant authorities to verify the professional credentials of the two individuals and take appropriate legal action if the allegations are substantiated.

Michael said the demand followed Freedom of Information requests submitted by Overt Legacy and Human Development Initiative to the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, seeking official clarification regarding the professional status of Ogunsakin and Oviawe.

According to the coalition, the requests, dated April 24 and May 6, 2026, also sought clarification about legal services allegedly offered through Tunde Ogunsakin & Co., with an office at No. 101, Ebitu Ukiwe Street, Jabi District, Abuja.

Michael said the Supreme Court, in a letter dated May 21, 2026, responded that the names of Ayotunde Johnson Ogunsakin, Tunde Ogunsakin and Angela Oviawe were not found on the Roll of Legal Practitioners.

The coalition also raised concerns about reports that Ogunsakin’s law firm operated offices in London, United Kingdom, and Virginia, United States.

It further referenced a 2010 publication by Modern Ghana alleging that Ogunsakin was investigated by the University of Abuja over examination malpractice while pursuing a Bachelor of Laws degree and was subsequently expelled following an internal disciplinary process.

The coalition questioned whether he subsequently obtained the requisite academic qualifications to proceed to the Nigerian Law School.

However, the allegations remain subject to independent verification and investigation by the relevant authorities.

Michael said Overt had submitted petitions dated October 9, 2026, to several institutions, including the ICPC, the Nigeria Police Force, the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Council of Legal Education, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC).

The British High Commission and the United States Embassy were also reportedly petitioned over the alleged operations of the firm in their respective jurisdictions.

Citing Section 2(1) of the Legal Practitioners Act, the coalition maintained that only individuals whose names appear on the Roll of Legal Practitioners maintained by the Supreme Court are entitled to practise as barristers and solicitors in Nigeria.

It also referenced Section 22(1) of the Act, which provides penalties for specified acts involving unqualified persons holding themselves out as legal practitioners.

The coalition further cited Sections 364 and 366 of the Penal Code Act applicable in the Federal Capital Territory, relating to forgery and the knowing use of forged documents as genuine.

Among its demands, CSCCN urged the ICPC and police to investigate the allegations and pursue prosecution where sufficient evidence and legal grounds exist.

It also called on the Council of Legal Education, NBA and LPDC to examine the activities of Tunde Ogunsakin & Co. and take appropriate regulatory action if unauthorised legal practice is established.

The coalition urged the British and American authorities to refer the alleged operations of the firm in their jurisdictions to the appropriate regulatory bodies for verification and investigation.

It further requested that documents allegedly prepared, signed, filed or issued without the requisite professional authority be examined, with any necessary legal steps taken to protect affected individuals.

Michael called on President Bola Tinubu, through the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, to facilitate inter-agency coordination and engagement with relevant foreign authorities.

The coalition gave the institutions and public authorities it had petitioned 48 hours to demonstrate that meaningful steps had been initiated to address the allegations.

It warned that failure to respond appropriately would prompt a peaceful mass protest at the ICPC and Nigeria Police Force headquarters in Abuja.

Michael stressed that the coalition’s intervention was intended to protect the integrity of the legal profession and safeguard members of the public from potential deception.

He urged the media and concerned citizens to support the campaign for accountability, insisting that the allegations should be addressed through due process and the enforcement of applicable laws.

Continue Reading

News

RMAFC Chairman Charges Directors, HODs on Accountability, Productivity

Published

on

Joel Ajayi

The Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Dr. Mohammed Bello Shehu, OFR, has charged Directors and Heads of Departments (HODs) to demonstrate commitment, accountability and professionalism in the discharge of their duties to ensure the successful implementation of the Performance Management System (PMS) in the Commission.

In a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja by Head, Information and Public Relations Unit Maryam Umar Yusuf, mnipr stated that, Chairman gave the charge at the signing of Performance Contracts by Directors and Heads of Departments at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

He described the exercise as more than the signing of official documents, noting that it represented a covenant of accountability and a commitment to delivering on the Commission’s strategic objectives through improved productivity and measurable results. He also noted that the initiative aligned with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, which prioritises institutional efficiency, good governance and improved service delivery.

Dr. Shehu explained that the PMS represents a deliberate shift from routine administrative activities to a result-oriented system that measures institutional and individual performance against clearly defined objectives.

He noted that the Commission had recorded significant progress towards its implementation through the development of a dedicated IT platform, organisation-wide staff training, capacity building for PMS champions, management sensitisation sessions and change management initiatives.

He emphasised that the system was not designed to be punitive but to empower officers, clarify responsibilities, identify capacity gaps and promote fairness in performance assessment. He therefore urged Directors and HODs to ensure that departmental targets and key performance indicators were realistic, measurable, time-bound and aligned with the Commission’s strategic objectives.

 He assured staff of management’s commitment to providing the necessary support and enabling environment, while urging all officers to embrace the initiative and make accountability, professionalism and improved service delivery their guiding principles.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the Personnel Matters Committee (PMC) and Federal Commissioner representing Cross River State, Ntufam Eyo-Nsa Whitley, described staff as the driving force behind the success of the Commission, urging them to demonstrate discipline, diligence, emotional intelligence and dedication to their responsibilities.

He encouraged officers to take the performance management exercise seriously and give their best towards achieving the Commission’s objectives.

He further urged staff to support one another, embrace the reform process and avoid attitudes that could undermine teamwork and institutional progress. Hon Ntufam called on the PMS champions to demonstrate commitment and provide guidance to their colleagues, stressing that collective responsibility, discipline and effective implementation would ensure the success of the initiative.

In his welcome address, the Secretary to the Commission, Comrade Tosin Adeyanju, described the signing ceremony as a significant milestone in the Commission’s history, marking the transition from intention to action, planning to execution, and traditional performance evaluation to a modern, data-driven performance management system.

He appreciated the Chairman’s leadership and the Commissioners’ support, while acknowledging the critical roles of Directors and HODs in driving the transformation.

He urged management staff to take ownership of their performance agreements and ensure regular engagement, feedback and monitoring to achieve the desired results.

He stressed that the success of the PMS would depend not merely on signing the contracts but on the Commission’s ability to translate agreed targets into improved productivity, efficiency and measurable institutional achievements.

Earlier, the Director overseeing the  Administration and Human Resource Department, Alhaji Ahmed Rufai Gidado, explained that the Commission had undertaken a series of activities towards the implementation of the Performance Management System and that the signing of the performance contracts represented a major milestone in the process, marking the transition from preparatory activities to the implementation phase.

In his lecture on The Role of Performance Management in Public Sector Transformation, Mr. Nwachukwu John, Head of Economy Team Performance Management at the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), commended RMAFC for the progress recorded in adopting the PMS framework. He noted that the Commission’s commitment demonstrated its readiness to embrace public service reforms and align individual responsibilities with institutional and national development objectives.

He explained that the PMS was designed to connect the responsibilities of individual officers with departmental targets, the Commission’s strategic plan and the Federal Government’s priorities. He urged Directors and HODs to ensure that performance contracts were cascaded to other levels of staff through regular engagement and feedback, emphasising that the system was a productivity tool rather than a promotion exercise.

Similarly, Mr. Ohiro Emmanuel, PMS Consultant with Reliefline Nigeria Limited, delivered a lecture on Overview of the PMS Implementation Journey, during which he described the signing of performance contracts by Directors as a major milestone in the implementation process. He explained that the Commission had conducted staff training, developed a dedicated PMS IT platform and trained performance management champions to facilitate the process.

He stated that the next phase would involve cascading the performance contracts across departments, with Directors engaging their Deputy Directors and Assistant Directors, who would subsequently work with other officers to ensure that individual responsibilities were aligned with departmental targets. He urged the Commission to sustain the momentum and proceed with the cascading process to achieve full implementation of the system.

In his closing remarks, the Director of Reliefline Nigeria Limited, Mr. Francis Ikuyinminu, expressed appreciation to the leadership of RMAFC for their commitment and collaboration towards the successful development of the PMS.

He also acknowledged the support of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and other partners, reaffirming his company’s commitment to providing technical advisory support, capacity building and change management to ensure effective implementation of the system. He urged all stakeholders to sustain their partnership and commitment towards building a legacy of excellence

Continue Reading

Trending

error

Enjoy this blog? Please spread the word :)