AMCON Withdraws Petition Opposing Conferment Of SAN Rank On Lawyer Agba | Sahara Reporters

SaharaReporters had earlier reported that AMCON, in its July 6 objection to the LPPC, alleged that Eimunjeze failed to disclose the criminal proceedings when he applied for the prestigious rank.

The Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) has withdrawn its petition challenging the elevation of Lagos-based lawyer, Agba Eimunjeze, Esq., to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), after previously alleging that he concealed an ongoing 50-count criminal charge against him from the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC).

In a letter dated July 14, 2026, addressed to the Secretary of the LPPC at the Supreme Court of Nigeria, AMCON said it was withdrawing its entire petition and objection, alongside all supporting documents earlier filed by its external counsel, Muftau Tolani Musa.

AMCON urged the committee to disregard the withdrawn petition and determine Eimunjeze’s application solely on its merits and in accordance with the established criteria for the conferment of the SAN rank.

The latest development is coming barely days after AMCON formally objected to Eimunjeze’s elevation, citing an ongoing criminal case bordering on alleged fraud, unlawful conversion of landed property and false claims of authority.

SaharaReporters had earlier reported that AMCON, in its July 6 objection to the LPPC, alleged that Eimunjeze failed to disclose the criminal proceedings when he applied for the prestigious rank.

The objection, signed by Mohammed Yusuf, Technical Assistant to AMCON’s Managing Director/CEO, and Gbenga Alade, the corporation’s Managing Director/CEO, referenced the LPPC’s June publication of shortlisted SAN applicants.

The objection was accompanied by a verifying affidavit and exhibits and was submitted in the required 20 copies.

Supreme Court records showed that the objection was received and stamped by the Office of the Chief Registrar on July 8, 2026, more than two weeks before the LPPC announced its approval of Eimunjeze’s elevation.

However, in its latest July 14 letter, AMCON said it was withdrawing the entire petition.

“We hereby withdraw the entire Petition and Objection along with the supporting documents filed by our external counsel; Muftau Tolani Musa against the conferment of the Rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria on AGBA EIMUNJEZE esq. by the Privileges Committee,” AMCON stated.

“We respectfully urge the Committee to take due notice of this withdrawal of the entire petition and disregard all the attached supporting documents and consider his application only on its merits, and in accordance with established protocol/criteria for the award of the rank of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria without any reference to the withdrawn petition.”

AMCON further stated that its external counsel would be instructed accordingly.

The withdrawn objection had placed an ongoing criminal prosecution against Eimunjeze at the centre of the controversy.

According to the verifying affidavit deposed to by Musa, Eimunjeze was facing trial before the Federal High Court, Abuja Judicial Division, in Charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/79/2024 — Federal Republic of Nigeria vs. Agba Eimunjeze.

Musa described himself as an external solicitor and witness to the criminal charge instituted by AMCON as nominal complainant.

He stated that the amended charge, dated March 11, 2025, predates Eimunjeze’s application for the SAN rank.

Musa further alleged that the proceedings remained active, with the matter coming up on February 25, 2026, and being adjourned to May 19, 2026.

According to the affidavit, Eimunjeze was the fourth of four defendants named in AMCON’s instructions to its prosecuting counsel.

Musa stated in the affidavit that AMCON, as a Federal Government institution, could not “sit by idle and assist the applicant in the fraudulent concealment of a very serious indictment against him” while he was facing an ongoing criminal charge with “serious implications on his integrity and probity.”

The 50-Count Charge Over Lagos Property Charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/79/2024, filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, contains a 50-count amended charge against Eimunjeze.

The Federal Republic of Nigeria is listed as complainant, while Eimunjeze is named as the sole defendant in the charge.

The counts allege that between 2011 and 2016, Eimunjeze conspired with Olamidayo Olukoga, Olawunmi Olajide-Awosedo and Ayoyinka Olajide-Awosedo to unlawfully sell and convert proceeds from multiple parcels of land at Victory Park Estate, Igbokushu, Lekki, in the Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State.

The parcels identified in the charge ranged from about 250 square metres to more than 7,200 square metres, with alleged transaction values ranging from N250,000 to N100 million.

The prosecution alleged that Eimunjeze executed deeds of assignment for the properties while allegedly presenting himself as Company Secretary of Knight Rook Ltd, despite allegedly having “no capacity or authority” to represent the company.

The charge further alleged that the properties were collateral for a loan owed by Knight Rook Limited and that the alleged transactions were intended to “defeat the realization of the debt owed to the Federal Government of Nigeria.”

The charge cited provisions of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria Act, 2010, as amended, relating to alleged unlawful conversion, obstruction of AMCON’s recovery mandate, false claims concerning immovable property and false claims regarding secured debt.

The amended charge was signed by Adeleke Agbola, SAN, Babajide Olasite, Adebayo Adetomiwa and Daphne Edughele, counsel to AMCON, and dated March 11, 2025.

Eimunjeze challenged the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court in Abuja to hear the criminal case.

His lawyers at BA Law LLP, led by Chief Bolaji Ayorinde, SAN, alongside Wale Adesokan, SAN, Seni Adio, SAN, Paul Harris Ogbole, SAN, and Shaibu Aruwa, SAN, among others, filed a Motion on Notice dated January 20, 2025, seeking to strike out the charge.

The defence argued that the alleged offences, properties and contracts were connected to Lagos State.

The defence also argued that the deeds of assignment relied upon by AMCON were registered at the Lagos State Lands Registry, Alausa.

Relying on Section 45(a) of the Federal High Court Act 2004 and judicial precedents including James Onanefe Ibori v. Federal Republic of Nigeria and Patil v. FRN, the defence argued that a court could not assume jurisdiction over alleged offences committed outside its territorial jurisdiction.

The defence further accused AMCON’s prosecution of amounting to “forum shopping”, referring to an earlier related charge, Charge No. LD/7300C/2018, filed before the High Court of Lagos State.

According to the defence, that case involved clients Eimunjeze represented and was dismissed before what it described as similar offences were subsequently filed against him in Abuja.

The defence asked the court, alternatively, to refer the matter to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court for possible transfer to the Lagos Judicial Division.

AMCON’s withdrawal of its objection therefore removes the corporation’s formal challenge from the LPPC’s consideration, while Eimunjeze’s underlying criminal case and jurisdictional challenge remain matters before the Federal High Court.