The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has called for strengthened collaboration with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as part of efforts to combat corruption and unethical practices within the legal profession and among security agencies.
The appeal was made on Monday, February 23, 2026, when members of the Anti-Corruption Committee of the NBA, Lagos Branch, paid courtesy visits to the Acting Zonal Director, EFCC Lagos Zonal Directorates 1 and 2, Assistant Commander of the EFCC (ACE I) Adebayo Adeniyi and ACE I Usman Bawa Kaltungo.
Speaking during the interactive sessions, Chairman of the Committee, Udochi Iheanacho, SAN, said the visits were aimed at strengthening existing collaboration between the NBA Lagos Branch and the EFCC, as well as creating a framework for investigating unethical conduct among lawyers and EFCC investigators.
“This Committee is one of several that have been set up in every NBA branch nationwide,” she said. “We have a national body — the NBA National Anti-Corruption Committee — and we are all working together.”
Iheanacho acknowledged the presence of corruption within professional circles, stressing the need for institutional cooperation.
“We want to tackle corruption in various ways. There is corruption within our fold and among some of our colleagues. We also encounter it among agencies we work with, including the EFCC and the Police,” she said.
“This is a new initiative, and in carrying out our activities, we require the backing of agencies with enforcement powers. When we identify issues that fall within your jurisdiction, we should be able to refer them appropriately for necessary action.”
Describing corruption as endemic, she noted that many Nigerians lack clarity on what constitutes corrupt practices.
“When something becomes normalized and cultural, and the lines become blurred, the task goes beyond merely catching people in the act. It requires sustained education and reorientation,” Iheanacho added.
Also speaking, Chairman of the NBA Lagos Branch, Uchenna Ogunedo-Akingbade, said other committees within the branch — including the Human Rights Committee and the Security Agencies’ Relations Committee — would engage the Commission to promote awareness on ethical standards.
“It is important that we intensify our fight against corruption, regardless of the personalities involved,” she stated.
Responding, Adeniyi and Kaltungo thanked the delegation for the visit and assured the Committee of the Commission’s cooperation.
“Our doors are always open. We are public servants, not public masters. Where you require our support, we will readily provide it,” they said.
They described the NBA as a strategic partner and emphasized the need for mutual respect between lawyers and EFCC operatives.
“Even within families, disagreements occur. What matters most is how such issues are managed. If there are concerns requiring our intervention, feel free to knock on our doors,” Adeniyi said.
In her remarks, the Head of Legal, Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, EFCC Ikoyi, Deputy Commander of the EFCC, Deborah Adamu-Eteh, urged the NBA leadership to address cases of unprofessional conduct among some of its members, noting that such behaviour damages the image of the legal profession.