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Abuja Fake Lawyer, Sam Nwadigo On The Run After Swindling Tenants

ByOnline Editor

PublishedMarch 30, 2026

A self-acclaimed legal practitioner, Sam Nwadigo, is allegedly on the run after failing to refund some tenants he represented in a legal dispute since 2021.

Findings by OSUN DEFENDER revealed that Nwadigo, who has failed to either authenticate his conduct as a lawyer or provide the details of the case, pending at the FCT High Court and the Court of Appeal, has not held any physical meetings with his clients for over 5 years and have been running away from the anti-graft agencies.

It was gathered that 4 out of the 16 tenants at the Richygold Homes and Estates, Apo, Abuja, paid the sum of N990,000 each to Mr. Nwadigo, when the landlord of the apartment increased the rent to N2.4 million within four months of entry to the apartment in 2021.

A former tenant of the estate, who lived at the estate between 2021 and June 2023, Brighto told OSUN DEFENDER that trouble started when Nwadigo failed to explain what happened to the monies paid to his personal account.

Bright in a telephone interview with the medium on Saturday noted that efforts to get the said amount and other fees paid to the acclaimed lawyer proved abortive.

His words, “When the issue started, we (the tenants) held several meetings where we decided to start a legal action on the decision of the landlord to increase the rent 4 months after our entry. They had promised not to increase the rent in 5 years, when we were negotiating.

“We held several meetings with Barr. Sam who promised to fight for us and return our monies back to us. He said there was an injunction that we should pay the old rent for compliance with the court order, and that he is going to refund us, which 4 of us did. He promised we will be refunded immediately we get the verdict at the appeal court.

“I am insisting on Barr. Sam refunding the 4 people that paid. I am saying that he should discontinue the case. All of us have packed out. We should discontinue the case and get our monies back. That is what Barr. Sam is not wanting to do. We have sought a physical meeting with him but he is not obliging us for a physical meeting.”

Bright also revealed to OSUN DEFENDER that he alerted his co-tenants of Nwadigo’s treachery and dubious moves on the case, when he failed to sign and apply his NBA seal on all of the petitions written on the case.

He said, “We went to FCID, Apo Police Station together and he introduced himself as a Barrister. Even in court, they know him as Barr. Sam. The correspondences we wrote, he did not sign. All of them in the places we went to know him as Barr. Sam.. He did not sign any of them saying his junior lawyers will sign for him. I tried calling their attention (co-tenants) to it but they attacked me because was coming for meetings. Now he has refused to show up.

“We have told him that there is no case. He should come back and refund the tenants. We have no business with any case. We have all packed out.”

When OSUN DEFENDER contacted Barr. Sam Nwadigo to verify the claims, he did not state that he was a competent legal practitioner.

He said, “I cannot reveal to you my personal details at this point. These people are out to attack me. Everything about the case is clear.”

Quizzed further on why he refused to sign the court papers or make himself available for a physical meeting, Nwadigo explained that, “The name of my law firm is Prediction Associates located at Gudu in Abuja. You see, the truth is that I told them I will only coordinate the case. I didn’t want to show my face. There are four Law Firms prosecuting the matter. I am just like a middleman.

“We have appealed the first court injunction at the court of appeal. It is currently before the appeal court. That’s where we are now. We have petitioned the Chief Judge of the FCT High Court on the case and the case file is currently with him for legal advice. There cannot be a judgement on the matter until the appeal court decides.

“I have been talking to them (the tenants) via WhatsApp. I am not running away. I would have fixed an appointment with you (OSUN DEFENDER reporter) for Monday but I am travelling on Tuesday. We cannot discontinue the case at the appeal stage. I have appealed to them to give me time. We need to resolve the appeal, then, I would file for the discontinuation of the suit at the High Court. It has grave consequences if we do that now.”

On the refund of the N990,000 paid by each of the 4 tenants to his personal account, Nwadigo confided to OSUN DEFENDER that he has spent the money estimated to be around 4.4 million naira.

“Yes, I can confirm to you that I have used the money since 2021. I have pleaded with them (the tenants) that I will pay everyone before the end of the year. I will start paying by June. I will address them on the platform tonight (Saturday).”

However, on Sunday morning, Nwadigbo shared a copy of the message he sent to the client’s (the tenants) with OSUN DEFENDER, claiming in the audio that he used the monies paid by the 4 tenants to offset his medical bills when he had a chronic diabetes in 2022.

He pleaded with the ex-tenants of Richygold Homes and Estates, Abuja that they will be refunded before the end of the year.

Meanwhile, some of the tenants have approached the Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission (ICPC), accusing Nwadigo of absconding with their money.

The petitioners Ibrahim Alkali and Victor Orajiaku are asking the anti-graft agency to arrest Nwadigo, retrieve the sum of N2,970,000 paid the lawyer as well as investigate Messrs Godwin and Diugwu Associates for aiding a non-legal practitioner to swindle unsuspecting clients.