Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) has suspended prominent Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Joe-Kyari Gadzama, from legal practice for three years over allegations of professional misconduct arising from the long-running dispute over compensation for victims of the 2001 Zaki Biam massacre in Benue State. Another lawyer, Ocha Ulegede, was also suspended for two years in connection with the same case. The decision, delivered on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, by a panel chaired by Justice Halima Ibrahim, followed a petition filed by Abuja-based lawyer Chris Alashi, who accused the two lawyers of breaching the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners, 2023.
The LPDC directed that the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, the heads of all superior courts of record across Nigeria, and the Inspector-General of Police be formally notified of the suspensions. The committee found Gadzama and Ulegede liable for breaching various provisions of the professional conduct rules and ordered that the suspensions take effect from the date of the judgment.
The disciplinary action stems from one of Nigeria's most notorious military operations. In October 2001, soldiers invaded several communities in and around Zaki Biam in Benue State in retaliation for the killing of 19 soldiers in the area. The troops killed over 200 villagers, destroyed multiple properties, and left hundreds of families devastated. Survivors and relatives of the victims subsequently instituted a fundamental rights enforcement suit against the Federal Government at the Federal High Court in Enugu, seeking compensation for the loss of lives, destruction of property, and violations of their constitutional rights.
The plaintiffs were initially represented by a legal team that included Sebastian Hon (SAN), Ocha Ulegede, and Chris Alashi. On July 5, 2007, Justice Lewis Allagoa of the Federal High Court, Enugu, awarded the plaintiffs N41.8 billion in damages against the Federal Government. The government appealed the judgment but later entered negotiations with the plaintiffs to settle the matter out of court, reportedly agreeing to reduce the compensation to N8 billion.
The controversy that led to the disciplinary proceedings emerged over reports that the negotiated N8 billion would be paid through the Benue State Government under the administration of former Governor Gabriel Suswam. The plaintiffs and their lawyers objected, arguing that the money should be paid directly to the successful litigants because the state government was not a party to the suit and the court had not formally adopted the out-of-court settlement. The dispute over the implementation of the settlement generated years of litigation and professional disagreements, ultimately culminating in the LPDC's disciplinary sanctions.
In its judgment, the LPDC held that Gadzama improperly solicited or "poached" clients already represented by Alashi, his fellow legal practitioner, contrary to established ethical rules governing legal practice. The committee further found that Gadzama supported proceedings before the Federal High Court in Abuja that resulted in orders setting aside two earlier decisions of the Court of Appeal, thereby enabling him to assume representation in the matter. The LPDC also found that Gadzama had improperly taken over another lawyer's brief, solicited clients, and wrongfully appropriated professional fees.
Reacting to the suspension, Gadzama rejected the LPDC's decision and announced that he had instructed his legal team to file an immediate appeal to the Supreme Court. In a statement, he described the allegations against him as "unfounded" and insisted that he was retained directly by the judgment creditors through written letters of instruction. He also argued that the dispute centred on legal representation and professional fees, matters he contended were outside the jurisdiction of the disciplinary committee.
Gadzama further noted that under Section 11(8)(a) of the Legal Practitioners Act, filing an appeal within the prescribed period automatically stays the implementation of the disciplinary direction pending the determination of the appeal. He reassured his clients, colleagues, and the public that his right to practise law remains unaffected pending the outcome of his appeal. "I trust in the judicial process and remain confident that justice will ultimately prevail," he said.
The LPDC is the statutory body responsible for hearing allegations of professional misconduct against legal practitioners in Nigeria. Where it finds a lawyer guilty of infamous conduct in a professional respect, it may impose sanctions ranging from admonition and suspension to striking the lawyer's name off the Roll of Legal Practitioners. However, decisions of the committee are subject to appeal to the Supreme Court, and where an appeal is filed within the time allowed by law, the disciplinary direction does not take effect until the appeal is determined.
Gadzama is one of Nigeria's most prominent legal practitioners and has built a reputation over several decades in litigation, arbitration, and alternative dispute resolution. The outcome of his appeal is expected to attract significant attention within the legal community, as it may further clarify the scope of the LPDC's disciplinary powers and the application of the Legal Practitioners Act in disputes involving legal representation and professional fees. Ocha Ulegede, who received a two-year suspension, has not yet issued a public statement on the matter. The LPDC's decision marks a rare and significant disciplinary action against two senior members of the Nigerian Bar, underscoring the committee's determination to enforce ethical standards and hold legal practitioners accountable for professional misconduct. As Gadzama pursues his appeal to the Supreme Court, the case is set to become a landmark ruling that will shape the regulation of the legal profession in Nigeria for years to come.
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