A Senior Counsel of Nigeria (SCN), Dr Tonye Clinton Jaja, has accused senior officials and institutions within Nigeria’s legal profession of resorting to what he described as “authoritarian tactics” and self-help in their alleged attempts to frustrate the Nigerian Law Society (NLS) and the Blue Silks rank of Senior Counsel of Nigeria (SCN).
  
Jaja, Executive Director of the NLS, made the allegations in an open letter to Nigerian lawyers dated August 16, 2026, in which he argued that authoritarian tendencies were not limited to the political sphere but were allegedly manifesting within the legal profession.
  
He cited the Supreme Court’s decision in Military Governor of Lagos State v. Ojukwu (1986), stressing that the rule of law requires disputes to be resolved through lawful judicial processes rather than self-help.
  
Jaja specifically raised concerns over the registration of the NLS, alleging that although a Federal High Court judgment delivered in December 2023 ordered the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to register the society, the decision was appealed.
  
He further alleged that the NLS was subsequently subjected to official and security-related actions, including petitions to the police and Department of State Services, before eventually obtaining a certificate of registration dated December 30, 2025.
  
On the Blue Silks controversy, Jaja accused the outgoing NBA Secretary-General, Dr Mobolaji Ojibara, of describing the rank as “illegal” while litigation over its status was pending before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
  
Jaja further questioned the circumstances surrounding the assignment and handling of the Blue Silks litigation, particularly the involvement of Justice James Omotosho, and called for greater transparency.
  
He also accused the Secretary of the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC), Kabir Akanbi, of making what he termed a prejudicial statement while the case was pending and subsequently taking disciplinary steps against a member of the Blue Silks advocacy group.
  
The NLS executive’s most serious allegation concerned an alleged LPPC directive warning Senior Advocates of Nigeria against associating with the NLS, BOSCON and promoters of the Blue Silks rank.
  
Jaja argued that, if established, such a directive could raise constitutional questions regarding freedom of association and protection against discrimination under Sections 40 and 42 of the 1999 Constitution.
  
He said the legal profession could not demand strict adherence to the rule of law from political authorities while allegedly tolerating self-help, intimidation and arbitrary conduct within its own institutions.
  
Jaja urged Nigerian lawyers to defend due process, judicial independence, freedom of association and the rule of law.