The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has warned Nigerian lawyers against charging clients in foreign currencies, describing the practice as illegal and unethical.
The warning was issued by the Acting Zonal Director of the EFCC’s Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, ACE I Bawa Usman Kaltungo, during a meeting with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Lagos Task Force on Illegal Practice of Law.
Kaltungo disclosed that the commission was currently handling two cases involving lawyers who allegedly charged their clients in dollars.
He said the naira remains Nigeria’s legal tender and warned that lawyers found culpable of charging clients in foreign currencies could face prosecution.
The EFCC official also cautioned legal practitioners against using the name of the commission to impose excessive charges on their clients.
The warning comes as the EFCC intensifies its scrutiny of financial practices involving legal professionals and other sectors.
