The police in Osun State have arrested Odeh Emmanuel, a man who allegedly posed as a lawyer for nearly 10 years, defrauding unsuspecting Nigerians of more than ₦50 million.

Emmanuel was caught on August 28, 2025, at a court in Abeokuta, Ogun State, while boldly standing in as legal counsel for an unsuspecting client. He is now being interrogated by the Anti-Fraud Unit at Zone XI Police Headquarters, Osogbo.

Investigations revealed that between 2018 and 2021, Emmanuel operated in Osogbo, presenting himself as a qualified lawyer. During that time, he handled legal cases, offered estate agency services, and even posed as a public consultant, all under false pretenses. He reportedly claimed to have offices in Lagos and Abuja to appear credible.

His fraudulent activities came to light when he was asked to provide his Call to Bar certificate—a request he couldn’t fulfill. He fled soon after but was eventually tracked down following a petition from one of his victims.

According to police sources, Emmanuel swindled clients of huge sums running into tens of millions before being finally caught.

Reacting to the development, the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Osogbo branch, Mr. Mauruf Adediran, condemned Emmanuel’s actions, calling them a disgrace to the legal profession and a grave injustice to victims.

“This is a dent on the image of the legal profession and a painful injustice to innocent Nigerians who trusted him,” Adediran said. He also vowed that the NBA would ensure he is prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

Police confirmed that the case has reached an advanced stage, and Emmanuel will be charged to court next week.