Supreme Court Fines Lawyer ₦50 Million for "Vexatious" Attempt to Reopen Closed Case

A five-member Supreme Court panel just made an example out of a lawyer who would not accept that a case was over.

What Happened

The Supreme Court has ordered lawyer S.M. Danyaro to personally pay ₦50 million in costs and barred him from appearing in any Nigerian court until he complies, after he attempted to reopen a concluded dispute over the Gwandu Emirate stool in Kebbi State. Danyaro had filed a motion asking the apex court to review and set aside its own June 2025 judgment, which had ruled in favour of the Kebbi State Government's installation of a new Emir. Justice Chioma Nwosu-Iheme, delivering a strongly worded supporting opinion, described the application as "vexatious, irresponsible, abusive and unprofessional."

Why the Court Was Unimpressed

Nigerian law treats Supreme Court decisions as final, there is no higher court to appeal to. Danyaro's application argued the earlier judgment involved fraudulent misrepresentation of law, but the panel found this was, in substance, an improper attempt to relitigate a settled matter rather than a genuine correction of a clerical error, the narrow grounds on which such applications are normally allowed.

The Penalty

Beyond the ₦50 million personal cost, payable within 90 days, the court ordered Danyaro to file a certificate of compliance before he can appear in any Nigerian court again.

Why It Matters

For anyone in legal practice, or training to be, this case draws a hard line around what "finality" actually means at the apex court, and what happens when a lawyer pushes past it.