Author: Gist Correspondent

The President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, has raised alarm over what he described as pervasive corruption within Nigeria’s judiciary and legal profession, warning that the trend poses a grave threat to democracy and social justice.

Osigwe spoke at the weekend during the Ralph Opara Memorial Lecture organised by the National Association of Seadogs in Enugu. The lecture was themed “Judicial Corruption in Nigeria: A Menace to Democracy and Social Justice.”

According to the NBA president, the justice system is facing a moral crisis, with many court decisions allegedly influenced more by bribery than by facts and evidence. He said the judiciary, traditionally regarded as the last hope of the common man, is increasingly being viewed as a marketplace where justice goes to the highest bidder.

He lamented growing public disillusionment with the courts, noting that many Nigerians now believe judgments are determined by the size of inducements rather than the merits of cases.

Osigwe cited findings from a 2024 joint survey by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the National Bureau of Statistics, which estimated that about N721 billion was paid as cash bribes to public officials in 2023, with judges listed among the leading recipients. He also referenced an Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) survey indicating that N9.4 billion in bribes passed through the justice sector between 2018 and 2020, with lawyers and litigants identified as major sources.

He warned that corruption in the justice system has severely eroded public trust and entrenched inequality, allowing powerful individuals to evade accountability while ordinary citizens suffer. He added that Nigeria’s poor global image is reflected in Transparency International’s 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index, which ranked the country 140th out of 180 nations.

Osigwe further highlighted the international consequences of a weakened justice system, citing cases such as Okpabi v Royal Dutch Shell, where Niger Delta communities sought redress in foreign courts, and the P&ID arbitration case, in which a multi-billion-dollar award against Nigeria was overturned in the United Kingdom after findings of fraud. He said such cases amount to a vote of no confidence in Nigeria’s legal system.

To address the challenge, the NBA president called for far-reaching reforms, including merit-based judicial appointments, establishment of judicial academies at the state level, and a review of the structure of the National Judicial Council to avoid concentration of power. He also advocated automated case assignment, mandatory suspension of judges under investigation, and full enforcement of judicial financial autonomy.

Osigwe stressed that combating corruption requires collective action from the Bench, the Bar and the wider society, urging religious and traditional institutions to desist from celebrating individuals with questionable sources of wealth.

He concluded that the future of Nigeria’s democracy depends on the restoration of integrity in the judiciary, insisting that only an independent and incorruptible justice system can command public confidence and international respect.