Chairman of Nigeria’s Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, has emphasised the critical obligation for legal practitioners to conduct thorough due diligence on their clients and the sources of their wealth.
Dr. Aliyu made the remarks recently during a professional development seminar for lawyers organised by the Kano state Chapter of the Nigerian Bar Association held in the ancient City of Kano, in Kano State.
Addressing the gathering, he underscored the significance of recent amendments to the Rules of Professional Conduct (RPC). These changes explicitly mandate solicitors to report suspicious transactions and incorporate legal safeguards aimed at preventing the profession from being used to facilitate terrorism financing and other financial crimes.
The seminar, titled “New Anti-Money Laundering Obligations for Legal Practitioners: Implications for Ethical Law Practice and the ICPC’s Mandate,” sought to equip attendees with a deeper understanding of these regulatory shifts and their ethical ramifications.
The ICPC Chairman urged lawyers to exercise heightened vigilance and to scrutinise clients meticulously, particularly when dealing with public officials or individuals from regions vulnerable to security challenges. He warned that wealth originating from such sources could constitute proceeds of crime.
“Lawyers must be observant and analyse their clients very well before engagement,” Dr. Aliyu stated, highlighting high-risk scenarios such as property purchases and company formations where enhanced due diligence is essential to protect the integrity of the legal profession.
Furthermore, Dr Aliyu advocated for enhanced collaboration among the nation’s anti-graft and financial monitoring agencies, calling for the ICPC, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering (SCUML), and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) to jointly organise a comprehensive national sensitisation programme for the legal community.
Such an initiative, he argued, would ensure uniform compliance with reporting rules, bolster public trust, and uphold the profession’s standing.
