Wakili, a former internally displaced person (IDP) from Borno State, shared his inspiring journey from fleeing Boko Haram to becoming a lawyer, speaking at his call-to-bar ceremony on July 9, 2025, in Abuja.
Alongside four other IDP law graduates, David Ayuba, Nathan Ibrahim, Rifkatu Ali, and Peter Mazhekwatte Isaac, Wakili was confirmed as a solicitor and advocate of the Supreme Court by the Body of Benchers. The 28-year-old, who escaped a 2015 attack on his village, credited resilience and community support for his achievement.
Wakili, who lost his parents to the insurgency, sought refuge in an IDP camp in Maiduguri, where he resumed education with NGO assistance. He earned a scholarship to study law at the University of Maiduguri, graduating with a second-class upper degree in 2023.
His story, detailed in a tearful address, highlighted survival instincts driving his legal pursuit, aiming to defend displaced rights. The ceremony, attended by 500 guests, including Borno Governor Babagana Zulum, celebrated the quintet’s success, with plans for a legal aid clinic in IDP camps. Their journey symbolizes hope amid Nigeria’s decade-long conflict.