The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) has suspended Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Joe-Kyari Gadzama, from legal practice for three years over professional misconduct arising from the controversial settlement of the Zaki Biam compensation case.
The Committee also suspended another legal practitioner, Mr. Ocha Ulegede, for two years after finding both lawyers guilty of breaching various provisions of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners, 2023.
The decision followed the determination of a petition marked BB/LPDC/1314/2024, filed by legal practitioner Chris Alashi, who was also one of the counsel involved in the longstanding litigation over compensation for victims of the 2001 Zaki Biam military invasion.
Delivering the Committee’s decision, Justice Halima Ibrahim held that the two lawyers were liable for professional misconduct and ordered that their names be suspended from legal practice for the respective periods.
Accordingly, the LPDC suspended Chief Joe-Kyari Gadzama, SAN, for three years, while Mr. Ocha Ulegede was suspended for two years, with both suspensions taking effect immediately from the date of the judgment.
The Committee further directed the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court to notify all Heads of Superior Courts of Record across Nigeria of the disciplinary action. It also ordered that the Inspector-General of Police be formally informed of the lawyers’ suspension from legal practice.
The disciplinary proceedings stem from disputes surrounding the settlement of the compensation awarded to victims of the Zaki Biam killings, one of Nigeria’s most notable human rights cases.
The litigation arose from the military operation carried out in Benue State in October 2001, following the killing of 19 soldiers. During the operation, soldiers invaded Zaki Biam and neighbouring communities, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of civilians and the destruction of homes and other property.
A group of survivors and victims subsequently instituted an action before the Federal High Court in Enugu, seeking compensation for the alleged violation of their fundamental rights. They were represented by a legal team that included Sebastian Hon, SAN, Ocha Ulegede, and Chris Alashi.
In a landmark judgment delivered on 5 July 2007, Justice Lewis Allagoa awarded the plaintiffs ₦41.8 billion as compensation against the Federal Government.
The Federal Government later challenged the judgment at the Court of Appeal but subsequently entered negotiations with the claimants to resolve the matter out of court. During the negotiations, the parties reportedly agreed to reduce the compensation to ₦8 billion.
However, the proposed settlement later became contentious after reports emerged that the compensation would be paid through the Benue State Government under the administration of former Governor Gabriel Suswam.
The claimants and members of their legal team objected to the arrangement, insisting that the compensation should be paid directly to the successful litigants since the Benue State Government was not a party to the suit. They also argued that the settlement had not been formally adopted by the court.
The LPDC’s decision marks one of the most significant disciplinary actions taken against senior members of the Nigerian legal profession in recent years and underscores the Committee’s role in enforcing ethical standards and professional accountability within the Bar.