A shocking assault on a lawyer near Gudu Market, Abuja, has sent ripples through Nigeria’s legal community, raising serious concerns about the safety of legal practitioners in the course of their duties.

The incident, captured in a viral video obtained exclusively by TheNigeriaLawyer, shows a group of young men violently attacking the lawyer as he attempted to serve demand notice at ITEMS Plaza.

In the disturbing footage, the assailants accused the lawyer in Pidgin English of “hitting a woman,” with one yelling, “You dey hit the woman!” before delivering multiple slaps. As the lawyer tried to retreat toward his red Toyota Camry, he was physically overwhelmed. A brief struggle ensued when he attempted to defend himself, with women recording the incident shouting questions such as, “Where is the man’s child? Who sent you?” adding to the chaotic scene.

Eyewitnesses who recorded the event insist that the lawyer was not the aggressor and had only come to perform his professional duty. However, the attack erupted abruptly while the lawyer served the legal documents. The identities of the lawyer and the intended recipients, as well as details of the legal case involved, remain undisclosed.

@thenigerialawyerVideo Shows Lawyer Brutally Assaulted While Serving Court Papers In FCT — Why Was He Acting As Bailiff?♬ original sound – TheNigeriaLawyer

Following the assault, police reportedly arrived and took the lawyer to a nearby station, though his condition has not been made public. Efforts by TheNigeriaLawyer to obtain comments from the Abuja Police Command and the Nigerian Bar Association Secretariat were unsuccessful as of press time.

The incident has sparked widespread outrage and introspection within the legal community. Many lawyers reportedly questioned why the lawyer undertook the role of a bailiff, a responsibility traditionally assigned to court officials. “This incident highlights the dangers lawyers face when serving court processes alone in volatile environments,” said a senior advocate who reviewed the video, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Colleagues are now urging legal practitioners to avoid serving documents by themselves, especially in areas prone to tension or hostility. They stress that delivering legal papers is not within a lawyer’s primary duties and recommend involving authorized court bailiffs or law enforcement personnel to ensure safety.

______________________________________________________________________ “Timely And Groundbreaking” — Babalola, Nnawuchi Release Casebook On Privacy & Data Protection In NigeriaA timely new publication, Casebook on Privacy & Data Protection in Nigeria, co-authored by Olumide Babalola and Uchenna Nnawuchi, 📘Casebook on Privacy & Data Protection in Nigeria is now available on Amazon: https://a.co/d/8TmFZrd ______________________________________________________________________ “Artificial Intelligence for Lawyers: A Comprehensive Guide”, authored by Ben Ijeoma Adigwe Esq., ACiarb (UK), LL.M, Dip. in Artificial Intelligence, Director at the Delta State Ministry of Justice, Asaba, Nigeria. How to Order: 📞 Call, Text, or WhatsApp: 08034917063 | 07055285878 📧 Email: benadigwe1@gmail.com 🌎 Website: www.benadigwe.com Ebook Version: Access it directly online at https://selar.com/prv626     ________________________________________________________________________ [A MUST HAVE] Evidence Act Demystified With Recent And Contemporary Cases And Materials
“Evidence Act: Complete Annotation” by renowned legal experts Sanni & Etti.
Available now for NGN 40,000 at ASC Publications, 10, Boyle Street, Onikan, Lagos. Beside High Court, TBS. Email publications@ayindesanni.com or WhatsApp +2347056667384. Purchase Link: https://paystack.com/buy/evidence-act-complete-annotation ____________________________________________________