Firdausi Amasa finally called to bar alongside 1,549 others as legal body suspends 12, bans 7 lawyers over alleged misconduct

macfranc007 July 11, 2018 Nigeria News today & Breaking news ▷ Read Naija news 24/7 Onyirioha Nnamdi

Not less than 19 lawyers were on Tuesday, July 9, suspected over allegations of misconduct by a group known as Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC). On the flip side, about 1,550 new lawyers were called to the Nigerian bar. Among the newly honoured lawyers was Firdausi Amasa who is famous for always wearing her hijab in court rooms.

An association of lawyers, known as the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC), has disbarred seven lawyers and suspended 12 others following allegations of their involvement in several acts of professional misconduct. A group known as Nigerian Body of Benchers (NBB) made this public during its admission of 1,550 new lawyers into the bar.

Among the new lawyers called to Nigerian Bar, on Wednesday, July 11, was Firdausi Amasa, who is famous for always wearing hijab. Amasa was denied the honour in 2017 over what the legal body termed improper dressing, Vanguard reports.

Amasa's insistence on wearing her lawyers’ wig over her hijab, an act which was said to be in violation of the dress code of the law school, made the legal authorities to sideline her from partaking in the Call-to-Bar ceremony that took place in Abuja.

However, Firdausi’s name was included on the list of new lawyers admitted into the Bar, despite the fact that her name appears last on the said list.

Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu, the chairman of NBB, in his address on the occasion stated that the LPDC would not fail to take disciplinary measures on any lawyer who violates the ethics of the noble profession.

He said: “The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee has been carrying out its mandate in a just and fair manner without giving room for compromise, affection or ill-will. From January to July, 2018, seven lawyers were disbarred, 12 were suspended (ranging from one year to three years) and one was admonished.

“You are, therefore, advised to be of good behaviour and abide by the ethics and traditions of the profession to avoid being brought before the committee."

Professor Isa Hayatu Chiroma, on his part, the director general of Nigerian Law School, disclosed that the 1,550 new lawyers were candidates that succeeded in the April 2018, bar final examinations, as well as 12 candidates from past screening tests.

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Chiroma remarked that the school in an attempt to address claims about the shortage of lawyers in the Nigeria, resolved to collaborate with law faculties and other stakeholders in the legal profession, as well as embarked on aggressive review of its curriculum to include lectures on ethics.

In an earlier post, NAIJ.com reported that the Nigeria Law school had finally approved wearing of hijab for Muslim females during call to bar. The Body of Benchers also cleared Amasa six months after she was denied call to bar for wearing hijab

MURIC last year took over Amasa's case when she was turned down by authorities of the law school for the call to bar because was refused to removed her hijab.

NAIJ.com gathered that the young female lawyer from University of Ilorin was disallowed to perform the ceremony because she refused to remove her hijab.

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