Breaking News
Justice Ahiakwo Comments On Lawyers Use of Social Media
Public commentator and legal practitioner, Justice Osai Ahiakwo, has warned that the growing misuse of social media by lawyers endangers professional ethics and public confidence in Nigeria’s justice system.
Speaking with DAILY POST, Ahiakwo said the digital revolution has produced a new breed of online lawyers whose activities often blur the line between legal education and partisan advocacy. While social media helps to enlighten the public, he noted, it has also become a tool for self-promotion and political manipulation.
He explained that many lawyers, especially those in politics, now use digital platforms to influence public opinion on judicial matters — a trend that violates the Rules of Professional Conduct RPC and undermines the dignity of the legal profession.
Before social media, he said, publicity among lawyers was limited to traditional media and largely contained.
“Now, lawyers dominate X, Facebook, and YouTube, discussing court rulings and political disputes more for popularity than professionalism,” he observed.
Ahiakwo described this development as both “innovative and dangerous,” stressing that the “social media lawyer” represents a mix of enlightenment and ethical decay. Quoting Lord Atkin, he warned that freedom of expression must not degenerate into acts that compromise justice.
He noted that the new RPC, effective from 2024, bars lawyers from solicitation and prejudicial commentary on pending cases, yet these rules are violated daily.
“As Justice Oputa once said, when moral rectitude collapses, the temple of justice trembles,” he reminded.
Ahiakwo condemned the rise of lawyer-politicians who weaponize social media to manipulate public opinion or discredit judges.
“Such conduct is unethical and contrary to the lawyer’s oath,” he stated, citing Okike v. LPDC (2005), which classifies acts that bring the profession into disrepute as misconduct.
He urged the Nigerian Bar Association NBA to set clear digital guidelines, promote responsible communication, and strengthen disciplinary measures against online misconduct.
Ahiakwo added that while social media can advance public enlightenment, it must not become a platform for vanity or bias.
“The future of the legal profession depends not on how loud a lawyer speaks online but on how ethically he defends justice,” he said.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced Morocco as winners of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
The CAF Appeal Board ruled in favour of Morocco, declaring that Senegal forfeited the AFCON final by walking off the field during the game.
Morocco were awarded a 3–0 walkover victory.
This decision upholds Morocco’s appeal following the chaotic events in the match.
DAILY POST recalls that the Senegal team briefly walked off the pitch in protest after a controversial penalty was awarded to Morocco late in regulation time.
They were called back to the field by their captain, Sadio Mané, and later won the game 1–0.
CAF determined that this action constituted a violation of Article 84, or the equivalent regulations concerning refusal to play or abandoning the field.
Under AFCON rules, a team that refuses to continue playing or leaves the field without authorization faces elimination and forfeiture of the match.
A total of three operatives of different security agencies in Anambra State collapsed during the inauguration of Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, on Tuesday.
The incident happened during the parade at the Dr Alex Ekwueme Square in Awka.
The three operatives are one male police operative, another male operative of the Directorate of State Services (DSS) and a female operative of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC.
The police operative collapsed first, followed by the NSCDC operative, who slumped towards the end of the event and was later escorted to an ambulance, after she refused to be moved in a stretcher.
A source said the police operative was later resuscitated, but was still not stable, and was taken in an ambulance to Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Amaku Awka.
The collapse of the service officers was attributed to fatigue and the long period of parade under harsh sunny weather.
-
Breaking News4 months agoBreaking News: Nigerian Air Force Reportedly Kills 750 Terrorists in Borno State
-
Breaking News4 months agoTerrorists Want ₦2m ‘levy’ in Katsina Community Despite Peaceful Agreement
-
Breaking News5 months agoEx-EFCC Exhibit Keeper Kaduna Zonal Directorate, Allegedly Steals ₦22m
-
Breaking News6 months agoNiger Delta Group hails Tinubu, NUPRC for ₦373bn host community fund and 536 life-changing projects
-
Breaking News5 months agoBreaking: Robbery Suspects Caught After Leaving Phone At The Scene
-
Breaking News4 months agoNasarawa Insecurity: Suspects Apprehended, Man Hunt Ongoing – Gov Sule
-
Breaking News6 months agoUCL: Osimhen Statement after Galatasaray’s 3-1 Win over Bodo/Glimt
-
Breaking News5 months agoBreaking News: Soldiers Linked To Boko Haram Reportedly Escape In Borno Jail Break