Bronze Solicitors & Attorneys

26/01/2026

Congratulations to our partner Dennis Osaretin on your recent appointment into the future of legal practice committee by the president and executive committee of Nigerian Bar Association, under the able leadership of the President Afam Osigwe SAN, this is a testament of your renewed commitment to professional development and a secured future for the legal profession at large.

25/01/2026

Alleged $80,000 and N953 Million Fraud: Court Convicts Man, Company in Lagos

Justice Modupe Nicole-Clay of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, convicted one Victor Ogiemwonyi and his company, Partnership Securities Limited, for stealing the sum of N953,535,861.57 (Nine Hundred and Fifty-Three Million, Five Hundred and Thirty-Five Thousand, Eight Hundred and Sixty-One Naira, Fifty-Seven Kobo) and $80,000.00 (Eighty Thousand United States Dollars).

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Lagos Zonal Directorate 1, arraigned the defendants on a two-count charges bordering on stealing, contrary to Section 285(1), (9) (b) and (c) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The case arose from a petition filed sometime in October 2016 by the nominal complainant, Mr. Arnold Onyekwere Ekpe, through his counsel, Messrs Margaret Onyema. The petition alleged that he instructed the defendants to sell his 96,077,872 units of Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI) shares, which were sold at the rate of N1,296,885,311.02.

Out of the proceeds of the sale, the defendants paid only N300,000,000.00 to the complainant, while they dishonestly diverted the balance for personal use.
Following investigations, the defendants were charged with two counts of stealing.
At trial, the prosecution, led by Ola Sesan, called five witnesses and tendered 67 exhibits, all of which were admitted and marked by the court. The defence, on its part, called three witnesses, including the first defendant.

Count one reads:
”Victor Ogiemwonyi and Partnership Securities Limited between the
months of June, 2016 and September, 2016 at Lagos within the jurisdiction of this honourable court dishonestly stole the sum of N953, 535,861.57 (Nine Hundred and Fifty Three Million, Five
Hundred and Thirty Five Thousand, Eight Hundred and Sixty one Naira Fifty Seven Kobo) being part of the proceeds of sale of 96, 077, 872 Ecobank Transnational Incorporated Shares, property of
Mr. Arnold Onyekwere Ekpe".

Count Two reads:
"Victor Qgiemwonyi and Partnership Securities Limited sometime between June, 2016 and July, 2016 at Lagos within the jurisdiction of this honourable court dishonestly stole the sum of USD$80,000.00 (Eighty Thousand United States of America Dollars) which formed part of the accrued dividends on 96, 077,872 Ecobank Transnational incorporated Shares, property of Mr.

Anold Onyekwere Ekpe".

Delivering judgment on Wednesday, Justice Nicole-Clay found Victor Ogiemwonyi, Chairman of Partnership Securities Limited, and the company guilty on all counts.

The court sentenced the first convict to pay a fine of N10 million, while the second convict was ordered to pay a fine of N20 million. Also, the court directed the convicts to pay back the entire money stolen from the petitioner, both in naira and dollars.

19/01/2026

Edo Court Jails Man for N1.5 billion Fraud

The Benin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday January 19, 2026 secured the conviction and sentence of Ojo Eghosa Kingsley before Justice W. I. Aziegbemhin of Edo State High Court, sitting in Benin City.

Kingsley was prosecuted by the Benin Zonal Directorate of the EFCc, on one-count charge bordering on stealing by the Benin Zonal Directorate of the Commission. The convict, while being a customer of First Bank fraudulently took possession of over N1.5 billion erroneously credited to his account by the bank.

The charge against him reads: 'That you OJO EGHOSA KINGSLEY (M) sometime between June, 2025 to November, 2025 within the jurisdiction of this honorable Court did steal the aggregate sum of N1,507,502,182.24 (One Billion, Five Hundred and Seven Million, Five Hundred and Two Thousand, One Hundred and Eighty Two Naira, Twenty Four Kobo), property of First Bank Plc by fraudulently converting the said sum to your own use, and thereby committed an offence contrary to contrary to Section 387(1) of Criminal Code Law of Edo State Law, 2022 and punishable under Section 394 of the same Law.'

The defendant pleaded guilty to the charge when it was read to him, prompting the prosecution counsel, M. S. Dahiru to pray the court to convict and sentence him accordingly.
However, counsel to the defendant pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy, stating that the defendant had become remorseful for his action.

Justice Aziegbemhin convicted and sentenced Ojo Eghosa Kingsley to one year imprisonment or a fine of N5 million.

The court ordered the convict to restitute First Bank Plc with the sum N272, 252,193,59 (Two Hundred and Seventy Two Million, Two Hundred and Fifty Two Thousand, One Hundred and Ninety Three Naira, Fifty Nine Kobo) within a stipulated period of time being the balance of the N1.5 billion.
The EFCC had during investigation recovered the sum of N802,420,000 from various bank accounts traced to the defendant, his mother and sister which was handed over to the bank by the Ag Zonal Director of the Benin Zonal Directorate, Deputy Commander of the EFCC, DCE Sa'ad Hanafi Sa'ad on Monday January 12, 2026 while over three hundred million was recovered from the defendant account by the bank through transfer reversal. Aside the restitution, conviction and sentence, the defendant undertook in writing to be of good behaviour going forward.

04/11/2025

Dennis Osaretin Rianis Property Ltd

04/11/2025

*NEW LAW IN EDO PRESCRIBES 10-YEAR JAIL TERM FOR VIOLENT, FORCEFUL ENTRY INTO STATE-OWNED PROPERTY*

■ *UNAUTHORIZED SALE, TRANSFER OF GOVERNMENT PROPERTY NOW ATTRACT FIVE-YEAR JAIL TERM*

Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has signed into law two landmark legislations: the Edo State Public Property Protection Law, 2025, and the Customary Court of Appeal (Re-establishment) Law, 2025.

The two new laws represent a bold step in the administration’s ongoing reforms to restore institutional discipline, promote transparency, and protect the collective patrimony of Edo people from encroachment, abuse, and illegal appropriation.

The Edo State Public Property Protection Law, 2025, establishes the Edo State Public Property Protection Committee, a statutory body mandated to oversee, safeguard, and recover all public properties belonging to the State. The law empowers the committee to prevent unauthorized occupation, vandalism, encroachment, alienation, or destruction of public assets.

Under the new law, the committee shall have the authority to identify, inspect, seal, and recover encroached public properties, investigate disputes, and collaborate with law enforcement agencies to ensure strict compliance. It also empowers the committee to initiate legal actions through the Ministry of Justice against any individual or entity found in contravention of the provisions of the law.

Governor Okpebholo emphasized that the new legal framework is a clear demonstration of his administration’s zero tolerance for corruption, impunity, and misuse of government property. “Public assets belong to the people of Edo State, not individuals. This law ensures that no one, no matter how highly placed, can appropriate public property for private gain,” he said.

The law prescribes stringent penalties for violations. Unauthorized sale or transfer of government property without the Governor’s consent now attracts a five-year prison term, while violent or forceful entry into state-owned property could lead to up to ten years’ imprisonment, depending on the severity of the offence.

Professionals who aid or abet illegal land transactions involving state property will also face sanctions, including prosecution and referral to their professional bodies for disciplinary action. Additionally, false petitions or fraudulent claims relating to government lands will attract severe penalties to deter abuse of process.

In the same legislative stride, the Edo State House of Assembly also passed, and the Governor assented to, the Customary Court of Appeal (Re-establishment) Law, 2025, effectively reconstituting the Edo State Customary Court of Appeal as a superior court of record in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

The Court will exercise appellate and supervisory jurisdiction over civil proceedings involving questions of customary law, as well as original jurisdiction over chieftaincy and traditional stool matters within the State.

Under the new framework, the President of the Customary Court of Appeal will be appointed by the Governor on the recommendation of the National Judicial Council (NJC), subject to confirmation by the Edo State House of Assembly. Six other judges will serve on the court, each required to possess not less than ten years of post-call experience and demonstrable expertise in customary law practice.

To guarantee judicial independence, the salaries and allowances of the President and Judges of the Customary Court of Appeal are to be charged directly on the Consolidated Revenue Fund of Edo State.

Governor Okpebholo described the re-establishment of the Customary Court of Appeal as “a reaffirmation of Edo’s commitment to accessible justice, respect for traditional values, and fidelity to the Constitution.” He noted that the move underscores his administration’s belief that a functional justice system is indispensable to good governance, stability, and investor confidence.

The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, while commending the Governor for his foresight, said the laws mark “a new era in asset governance and judicial integrity,” adding that they will serve as “critical instruments for institutional renewal and the protection of Edo’s moral and material heritage.”

*Signed*:
*Fred Itua*,
*The Chief Press Secretary to Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State*
*Tuesday, 04 November, 2025*.

23/06/2025

PRESS RELEASE

Rebuttal to Defamatory Remarks Against Dennis Osaretin by one Mr. Osaro Culture Iyamu

We are compelled to respond to the reckless and false statement issued by Mr. Osaro Culture Iyamu, wherein he publicly made a statement on his page quoted verbertim:

“Which of the Dennis Osaretin? The person that betrayed our highly revered Benin Palace during the period Obaseki was making attempt to re-loot our stolen artefacts?”

This inflammatory remark is entirely baseless, defamatory, and a gross distortion of the historical facts surrounding the return of the Benin artefacts and the role played by Mr. Dennis Osaretin.

For the record, Mr. Dennis Osaretin has never at any point betrayed the Benin Palace or acted against the interest of His Royal Majesty, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II, or the Benin people. On the contrary, Mr. Osaretin has consistently and demonstrably aligned himself with the Palace’s objectives and cultural authority in the ongoing struggle for the restitution, protection, and proper custodianship of Benin heritage.

Among his verifiable contributions are:

He served as one time Executive Assistant on Corporate and Legal Affairs, during which time he authored and co signed a global caveat to deter any unauthorized handling or reappropriation of returned artefacts.

He was appointed founding secretary of the Benin Royal Museum Trust, and was responsible for securing its legal registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

Mr. Osaretin was part of the expert legal team that reviewed and drafted the position that was later adopted by the Federal Government as the official position on the provenance of the Benin artefacts—a document later gazetted and adopted as Nigeria’s legal stance under the tenure of president Buhari.

During the well-documented tension between the Edo State Government and the Palace, Mr. Osaretin advanced a petition from a formidable cultural advocacy group partly led by Mr. Osazee Amas Edobor, to the Attorney General of the Federation, called for Federal intervention to uphold the rights and dignity of the Benin Royal Court a petition that was eventually acted upon by the then Attorney general of the Federation.

Furthermore, his youth engagement and public advocacy efforts helped mobilize wide support from across Edo State and the diaspora, anchoring the movement in both legal and cultural legitimacy.

To accuse such an individual of “betrayal” not only insults the facts but also disrespects the wisdom of the Palace and its institutions, which entrusted him with sensitive legal and cultural responsibilities.

We urge the public, the media, and all concerned citizens to disregard Mr. Iyamu’s baseless outburst, which appears driven by personal animus or ignorance rather than facts. We also caution against using royal heritage and historical restitution efforts for political mischief or character assassination.

The Benin Bronzes' return is a sacred, collective achievement. The truth must be preserved, and all those who worked for this noble cause must be protected from falsehoods and divisionary narratives.

Signed,

F.O Archibong, Esq.
Counsel to Dennis Osaretin
23/6/2025

22/06/2025

Dennis Osaretin we are proud of the advocacy and support

Benin and gone. Every few weeks, a fresh announcement appears - another museum is repatriating or committing itself in principle to returning a Benin bronze to Nigeria. There is a strong consensus among museum professionals that

22/06/2025

https://culturalpropertynews.org/where-will-benin-bronzes-go-nigerian-government-edo-museum-or-oba/

Benin and gone. Every few weeks, a fresh announcement appears - another museum is repatriating or committing itself in principle to returning a Benin bronze to Nigeria. There is a strong consensus among museum professionals that

22/06/2025

22/06/2025

Circular To All Public Companies And Capital Market Operators On The Transmutation Of Independent Non-Executive Directors And Tenure Of Directors
19/06/2025

Public Companies and Capital Market Operators:

The attention of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission) has been drawn to the prevalence in recent times of the rotation of various directorship positions among individuals within the same entity or Group of companies. In particular, the Commission observes the worrying trend of the transmutation/conversion of Independent Non-Executive Directors (INEDs) to Executive Directors, including to the position of the Chief Executive Officer.

This practice clearly erodes the neutrality of the transmuting INEDs, compromises their ability going forward to provide objective judgment and is generally antithetical to the principles which underpin independent directorship as outlined in both the National Code of Corporate Governance (NCCG) as well as the SEC Corporate Governance Guidelines (SCGG). Accordingly, the Commission hereby directs the discontinuance forthwith of the transmutation of INEDs into Executive Directors within the same company or its Group structure by Public Companies and significant public interest capital market operators.

Significant public interest Capital Market Operators

In addition, pursuant to its powers under Section 355(r)(iv) of the Investments and Securities Act (ISA) 2025 to prescribe corporate governance standards for regulated entities, the Commission hereby directs that, the tenure of Directors of all Capital Market Operators considered as significant public interest entities, as determined by the Commission, would be limited to 10 consecutive years in the same company and a total of 12 consecutive years within the same group structure.

Furthermore, a Chief Executive Officer or Executive Director who steps down after 10 or 12 consecutive years, as the case may be, cannot be appointed as Chairman until the expiration of a 3-year “cool off period”. The tenure of such former Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director as Chairman shall be for a maximum of 4 years and no more.

The foregoing directives take immediate effect and compliance is mandatory. Public Companies and Capital Market Operators are therefore required to take the directives into account in their board appointments and succession planning.

Kindly note that years already served by the affected appointees will count towards computing the exit date for the 10 and 12 years’ tenures respectively.

SIGNED:

MANAGEMENT