A Federal High Court in Abuja has ruled against a controversial bid to introduce a “Blue Silk” rank for legal practitioners in Nigeria, declaring the move unlawful and inconsistent with existing regulations governing the legal profession.

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday dismissed a suit seeking legal backing for the conferment of a “Blue Silk” rank on Nigerian lawyers as an alternative to the prestigious Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) title.

Delivering judgment in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/421/2026, Justice James Omotosho held that the application lacked merit and affirmed that the legal profession in Nigeria is regulated by statutory provisions that recognize only one professional body and ranking system.

According to the judge, the applicants’ reliance on the right to freedom of association and assembly was misplaced, stressing that the legal profession is not comparable to political associations where individuals can freely create parallel structures.

“There is only one legal profession in Nigeria duly recognised by statute; thus, a person cannot decide to form his own legal profession, as the same would be contrary to the law and thus void,” Justice Omotosho ruled.

The court further declared that any attempt to confer a “Blue Silk” rank on legal practitioners in Nigeria is illegal and unrecognized under Nigerian law.

Justice Omotosho emphasized that the applicants failed to prove any violation of their fundamental rights, noting that constitutional rights cannot be used as a shield to contravene statutory regulations guiding the legal profession.

The judge maintained that the applicants did not establish any breach of their rights to fair hearing or freedom of association and consequently dismissed the suit in its entirety.

Source: cbinews.tv

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