LAGOS — The Nigerian legal community has been rattled by a growing scandal involving Khadijah Abolanle Thany, a lawyer whose name and professional stamp appeared on a controversial court motion at the center of a misconduct case — one that has already led to a two-year suspension for her brother, Idris K. Thany, former Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Ikorodu Branch.
At the heart of the storm is a 2017 motion allegedly designed to obstruct enforcement of a consent judgment. Though Khadijah testified before the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) that she was misled into signing and stamping the document — claiming no involvement with the case, no contact with clients, and no payment received — the committee found her guilty of professional misconduct.
However, in a move sparking outrage among some legal professionals, the LPDC stopped short of suspension, choosing instead to issue only a formal admonition. Critics argue this sets a dangerous precedent — where claiming ignorance may now serve as a shield from harsher sanctions.
Meanwhile, Idris K. Thany, the central figure in the misconduct, has filed an appeal at the Supreme Court, challenging both his suspension and the findings against his sister. The appeal, which includes 12 grounds of objection, is seen by some as a calculated attempt to rewrite the narrative and clear the Thany name.
Legal analysts are divided. While some sympathize with Khadijah, seeing her as a victim of familial trust, others question how a legal practitioner could affix their name and seal to a court document without due diligence — a potential red flag in any jurisdiction.
As the appeal makes its way to the Supreme Court, many in the legal community are watching closely, wondering: Is this a case of betrayal within the profession — or just the latest example of a system too lenient on insiders?
