Senior Nigerian lawyer stripped of privileges

         

Chief Ajibola Aribisala, a senior advocate of Nigeria has been stripped of the title and the privileges attached to it.

The Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee (LPPC) announced this sanction today, on the heels of earlier sanctions announced by the National Judicial Council against two judges, Charles Archibong and Thomas Naron.

A statement issued by the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court and Secretary of the LPPC, Mr. Sunday Olorundahunsi said Aribisala was barred courtesy of a petition filed by Fidelity Bank Plc.

“The LPPC at its meeting held today the 26th day of February 2013, considered the petition by Fidelity Bank against the person of Chief Ajibola A. Aribisala, SAN together with his response to same and after due consideration of the said response has decided in its wisdom to suspend him (i.e. Chief Ajibola A. Aribisala) from the use of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria and all other privileges attached to that rank pending the outcome of the court case and impeding investigation by the Sub- Committee set up by the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee,” the statement said.

The statement did not give details of the petition by Fidelity Bank.

Aribisala is the second top lawyer to be sanctioned by the LPPC. Former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Michael Aondoakaa had earlier suffered the same fate.

Last year, Aribisala sued Access Bank asking to be paid N2billion as fees for debt collection, after pocketing N173million for similar service for the bank.

He lost the case and was asked to pay N300,000 cost to Access Bank.

Aribisala graduated from the University of Lagos in 1983 and the Law School a year after. He became a SAN 20 years after.

His chambers, AOS, introduces Aribisala as an expert in the “practice of property law in Nigeria and is quite renowned for his debt recovery and insolvency expertise”