Commercial banks in Nigeria have begun complying with a Federal High Court order that nullified the requirement for lawyers to disclose their clients' financial transactions to law enforcement agencies under the SCUML (Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering) Act, 2022.
In July, Justice Obiora Egwuatu declared the provisions unconstitutional, particularly as they pertain to legal practitioners. As a result, banks have informed customers that SCUML certificates are no longer required to operate their accounts, lifting restrictions that previously applied.
The ruling was the outcome of a lawsuit filed by lawyer Arome Abu, who argued that similar provisions in the 2011 Money Laundering Act had been voided following a challenge by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in 2013. Abu maintained that the SCUML regulations, as they relate to lawyers, violate the constitution.
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