A group of law graduates from the Nigerian Law School have petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, alleging professional training fraud by two mediation institutes. The graduates, who completed their studies in the 2024/2025 academic session, accuse the Mediation Training Institute and the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators of financial impropriety and fraudulent inducement.
In a petition dated September 17 and co-signed by Mr. Goodluck Enebeli and Mr. Freedom Eje, the graduates called on EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede to investigate both organisations. They detailed how the institutes, in collaboration with the International Law Association, had offered a professional Alternative Dispute Resolution skill accreditation course.
Approximately 905 students reportedly registered for the training, paying N130,000 for the course and an additional N30,000 for physical induction into the professional bodies. The graduates stated they were promised three certifications upon completion: Associate of ICMC, Accredited Mediator of MTI, and Member of ILA.
The physical induction ceremony was scheduled for September 22, the day before their Call to Bar ceremony. However, just days before the event, participants received a message stating they would only receive two certifications and that the induction would now be conducted virtually rather than physically as promised.
“The institutions further promised us a physical induction with a variety of activities, including a robust dinner/meal, however they have now announced a virtual induction. Whereas, we have paid N30,000 for the physical induction,” the petition stated.
The graduates argued that “the conduct of the institutes amounts to obtaining money under false pretenses, abuse of trust, and possible diversion of funds collected from hundreds of students nationwide.” They emphasised that they had enrolled specifically because of the three certifications, which they considered valuable for their legal careers.
The petitioners urged the EFCC to investigate the financial dealings of both institutes regarding the training programme, determine the total amounts collected from students, and examine how these funds were applied. They also requested the prosecution of anyone found culpable of misappropriation or fraud.
In response to the allegations, MTI blamed its dispute with ICMC for the disrupted induction plans. In an email to participants, MTI’s Director of Training, Research and Development, Prof. Oluwafisayo Ayita, accused ICMC of acting in bad faith.
Ayita claimed the disagreement began when MTI dropped ICMC from its professional ADR course, affecting “no less than 65 per cent of ICMC’s membership drive.” He alleged that ICMC had issued disclaimers and made “various blackmail attempts to discredit MTI and instigate students against it.”
According to Ayita, ICMC still held about N35 million belonging to MTI, with N20 million allegedly spent on a previous induction ceremony in July. He stated the remaining N15 million would have been “more than enough to induct 905 backlog students.”
Ayita further claimed ICMC had made “impossible demands” of N150 million and N45 million, stating it would not be ready for the September 22 induction. He informed graduates that while MTI and ILA would proceed with their exercise, ICMC might contact them separately about virtual induction.
However, an ICMC official, speaking on condition of anonymity, strongly denied these allegations. “First, ICMC did not market any training to the students. So, ICMC did not collect money from them. Let one student come out and say ICMC collected money from him or her. ICMC did not collect any penny from any student,” the official stated.
The official explained that ICMC had a memorandum of understanding with MTI, which acted as its agent for law school students. However, he alleged MTI violated this agreement by advertising training that included MTI and ILA without proper authorisation.
The ICMC representative also denied claims that the institute was holding N15 million or N35 million from MTI. He detailed how MTI had struggled to pay the required fees for previous inductions, eventually settling the amount in instalments.
“For the 2024 students, who are the petitioners, we were supposed to induct them in January this year. To avoid the last issue, we wrote to the MTI MD to give us a breakdown of the number of students trained so we could start planning. He did not respond,” the official claimed.
After multiple unanswered letters, ICMC terminated its MoU with MTI and informed the Nigerian Law School that MTI was no longer its representative. The institute then appointed new service providers for each campus.
EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale said he was not aware of the petition, but an acknowledged copy bearing the agency’s official stamp showed it was received on Thursday. The law graduates continue to demand either immediate induction with all promised certifications or a full refund of all payments with appropriate interest.
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