Unpaid Legal Fees Spark Outrage and Threats of Case Withdrawal, As Lawyers Allege Misappropriation of N800 Million
A major legal storm erupted at the Appeal Tribunal sitting at the NBA House, Abuja, as lawyers engaged to defend the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC) and 23 embattled council chairmen decried the non-payment of their professional fees by the Benue State Government under Governor Hyacinth Alia.
Tensions reached a boiling point when several visibly aggrieved lawyers publicly expressed outrage over the Governor’s failure to fulfill financial obligations, with some resorting to open verbal condemnation of the Governor and the Attorney General’s office. Frustrated by mounting personal debts from hotel bills and business centre expenses accrued during months of litigation support, the lawyers threatened to withdraw all pending cases at the Appeal Tribunal.
A particularly tense moment unfolded in court when Barr. Okpaile stood and firmly refused to allow a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), reportedly engaged overnight by Governor Alia, to adopt his filed brief. The lawyer insisted on representing himself, citing that he, not the SAN, had prepared the legal document, and his fee had not been paid.
Insiders revealed that Governor Alia and BSIEC had initially engaged a team of legal professionals to handle the tribunal cases, only to later sideline them without payment and hire three SANs, further intensifying resentment among the original legal team.
One of the mediators, Barr. Mgbegha, was said to have intervened to de-escalate the lawyers’ threats, pleading for restraint. However, some of the embittered lawyers have already taken legal action against the Benue State Government and BSIEC, with a case currently pending at the High Court, seeking redress over the unpaid legal fees.
Adding a bizarre twist to the controversy, rumors circulating within the legal circle suggest that a staggering ₦800 million, allegedly released for the lawyers’ remuneration, may have been diverted—figuratively said to be “swallowed by a giant snake near River Benue.”
The situation has left several of the affected lawyers stranded in Abuja, with some reportedly evicted from their hotels due to unpaid bills and being pursued by business centre operators over outstanding payments for document production.
Observers have drawn comparisons between the government’s alleged negligence and its recent expenditure on celebrity entertainment, notably the lavish funding of a concert for music icon Tuface Idibia. Critics argue that this reflects a serious misplacement of priorities.
In light of the unfolding scandal, concerned stakeholders have called on Governor Alia—himself a suspended Roman Catholic priest—to urgently intervene and ensure that every labourer is duly compensated for services rendered.
The legal fraternity and political watchers alike await further developments as the case continues to draw national attention.
