The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has emphasized that the prestigious rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) is a privilege that can be revoked if abused through misconduct or indiscipline.
Speaking at a commemorative dinner in Lagos organized by the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (BOSAN) to mark the 50th anniversary of the SAN rank, Fagbemi warned against treating the title as an inalienable right.
In his address on Saturday, February 8, 2026, Fagbemi stated, “There are those among us who appear to regard the rank as a licence for misconduct and indiscipline, under the mistaken belief that once conferred, it is inalienable. That, of course, is not correct! The rank is a privilege, and, like all privileges, it can be withdrawn if the recipient denigrates or lives below the standard of the privilege.”
He highlighted that the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee (LPPC) has affirmed the revocable nature of the rank for those who fall short of its standards.
As Chairman of BOSAN, Fagbemi called for self-regulation within the body to maintain the integrity of the profession, saying, “Enforcing discipline must start in-house, from our Body.
It is, in fact, best that we, as a Body, self-regulate and not foist the entire burden of regulating the Rank on the LPPC or, worse, the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC).” He also urged junior lawyers to show respect to SANs while reminding Senior Advocates to uphold the highest ethical standards to preserve the dignity of the rank.
The event featured the induction of 134 new SANs 87 from the 2024 cohort and 57 from the 2025 cohort into BOSAN, along with the awarding of scholarships to five outstanding law students from Nigerian universities.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, served as the special guest of honour, and Fagbemi commended the ongoing collaboration between BOSAN and the LPPC in advancing the legal profession.
This statement was released on Sunday by Kamarudeen Ogundele, Special Adviser to the President on Communication and Publicity in the Office of the AGF and Minister of Justice.