The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, has warned that justice in Nigeria is increasingly becoming a “purchasable commodity,” where the poor are victims and the rich evade accountability.
The Sultan, who spoke as a guest speaker at the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Annual General Conference in Enugu on Sunday, warned that corruption and inequality are undermining the integrity of the judicial system.
“Today, justice is increasingly becoming a purchasable commodity, and the poor are becoming victims of this kind of justice, while the rich commit all manner of crime and walk the streets scot-free,” he said.
He, however, commended the NBA for choosing the theme “Stand Out and Stand Tall,” saying it aligns with the urgent need for lawyers to deliver on their professional mandate.
According to him, the legal profession must remain committed to upholding the rule of law to ensure fairness, accountability, and equality before the law.
“You are resolving to uphold the highest principles of the rule of law to ensure that everyone, including those in power, is subject to and accountable under the law. If we can do this, we would have addressed the core of this country’s governance crisis,” he stated.
The Sultan stressed that justice is the foundation of stable societies and that law must always target justice as its ultimate goal.
He urged participants to use the conference to address critical issues shaping Nigeria’s future.
“This conference, I hope, will also give you the time to address issues pertinent to our society’s future.
“Three things are significant: continuing efforts at law reforms to gradually decolonise our laws and make them closer to our values, culture and history; addressing social justice to tackle glaring inequalities and foster cohesion; and improving access to justice, especially considering the rising cost of litigation and the exclusion of the weak and vulnerable,” he added.
He lamented Nigeria’s perennial challenge of poor policy implementation despite having “excellent policies.”
“Law and learning are inseparable. At the core of the study of law is the knowledge of value, and justice is one of those core values the law should achieve,” the Sultan told the gathering, which included South African opposition leader Julius Malema.
Lawyer, CSOs Differ On Sultan’s Comment On Nigeria Judiciary
As Nigeria continues to grapple with an inefficient justice system which manifests in the failure of the courts to achieve justice, suppression of evidence, judicial misconduct, corruption, and political interference in the nation’s judicial system, many citizens seem to have lost hope in the system.
This perception was echoed by the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Annual General Conference in Enugu on Sunday, when he warned that justice in Nigeria is increasingly becoming a “purchasable commodity,” where the poor are victims and the rich evade accountability.
Justice for sale is beer parlour gossip – Shittu
Reacting to the revered monarch’s comment, a law lecturer, Dr Wahab Shittu (SAN) described the Sultan’s statement as very unfortunate and unfair to the dedicated and hardworking judges and the entire judiciary.
Dr. Shittu said, “The assertion that justice in Nigeria is purchasable is one of perception, not reality. It is the unfair perception in the marketplace and the rumblings in beer parlour gossip.
“I think stakeholders in the administration of justice have a huge responsibility to change this narrative. Justice should be accessed on the case’s merits index and not be dependent on the highest bidder.”
Also reacting to Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar’s comment that justice is becoming purchasable in Nigeria, Comrade Bankole Solomon (esq), Chairman of the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and Pro-democracy Groups in Ogun State, commended the revered emir for mustering the courage to speak the truth on the subject matter.
Bankole said, “It is pretty unfortunate that we are finally accepting this unhappy situation in our country.
” I am on the same page with the Sultan that justice is now for the highest bidder, or rather, I will say justice in Nigeria is a purchasable commodity because when you see things happening, you will feel sorry for this country.
“I do tell people that with the experience you have seen, with the CSOs, it is even cheaper, better and fairer to bribe at the police level; either at the police station, Area Command, or at the state headquarters than in the court because simple processes in court attract money.
“Some people will listen to you, hear it and probably mock you that somebody has offered money for bail, but if you know what it entails for that bail to be perfected in the court, you will cry for the country.
Go to court, go to court
“There are some begging cases which, at times, you will be convinced are bad, but when you eventually see the result, you will know that surely, this is not as is expected of the judiciary. That is why it is a common phrase in the country today when you hear: “go to court”! When they steal your property, “go to court”! Anyone who assaults you, “go to court”. When you accuse or suspect a politician of stealing our commonwealth, “go to court”. This is because they know they can have their way when the matter gets to court.
No wealthy man in jail, only poor people
“So, I want to agree with the Sultan that justice is becoming a purchasable commodity; who you know and how much you have! And that is the trending issue as of today because when you visit the Correctional Centres across the country today, hardly will you see a wealthy man; hardly will you see a high class politician; but what you’ll see are commoners who for one reason or the other could not have their ways or they don’t have the ways or means or manners or strategies to enable them buy their ways out.”
“In essence, it’s not only a concern for the Sultan and the traditional rulers alone; the CSOs constituency too is not happy with what is happening. We visit courts and listen to the news, and we see some people we know whose cases are purely an infringement of their rights, but when you get to courts, the verdicts you see are, most times, questionable.
“So, without mincing words, I agree and adopt in totality the Sultan Sa’Ad Abubakar’s submission that justice is a purely purchasable commodity in this part of the world.”
Lawyers Call For Caution
Some lawyers demanded accountability from the judiciary yesterday, warning that all eyes are on the judicial sector to do justice without fear or favour.
According to them, the legal profession must regain Nigerians’ respect by always doing what is right.
They also called for caution over unfounded statements meant to discredit the Judiciary.
Remove the bad eggs – Balogun
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Abdul Balogun, has warned against disparaging comments on the Judiciary.
According to him, Nigerians, particularly well-respected Nigerians, should cease talking ill about the Judiciary.
“There is no perfect system. Whether you like it or not, the judiciary is still the institution holding this country together. However, for the judiciary, things would have gotten out of hand; we must be careful of our utterance because it can either break or make the country.
“Like I said earlier, there is no perfect system. There is always room for improvement wherever there are lapses. Except we will delude ourselves, in any system, there must be bad eggs that will give the institution a bad name. The only thing to do is to identify the bad eggs and deal with them decisively so they don’t affect others.”
Judiciary not as bad as painted
The constitutional lawyer, Professor Isah Awo, said the Sultan may be incorrect.
He said the Judiciary is not as bad as members of the public are painting it.
“While I’ll agree that there may be inconsistencies in some judgements coming out from our court, it is too minute to conclude that justice can be procured.
“I disagree entirely; justice is not purchasable, and Nigeria’s judiciary has not descended so low to that extent.
“There are times the judiciary may fail; it may not meet expectations, but it’s still not as bad as they make it look.”
Let’s not scare away foreign investors
On his part, Abuja-based lawyer, Barrister Innocent Amokade, warned against destroying the judiciary.
He said such comments are enough to erode the confidence of foreign investors in the country.
He said if Nigerians do not believe in their own system, what do you want foreigners to do?
“We need to believe in our own system because it’s dangerous to make foreigners, particularly investors, believe that our judiciary is not independent. That will erode their confidence in our ability to do justice”.
Law, Justice Sector Reform, Cornerstone Of Our Administration – Mbah
The governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, has reminded lawyers that the law is more than a profession; it serves as the nation’s conscience.
Mbah, who spoke during the opening of the 2025 Annual General Conference, AGC, of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, at the International Conference Centre, Enugu, on Sunday, also restated his administration’s commitment to justice sector reform, saying that it remained the cornerstone of his government.
“Let me say this: the theme of this year’s conference, ‘Stand Out, Stand Tall,’ is a timely reminder of our responsibility as lawyers and leaders. The law is not just a profession – it is the nation’s conscience. We are not only courtroom advocates but also defenders of truth, architects of peace, and champions of equity,” he said.
The governor listed concrete steps his administration has taken towards justice sector reform: “Since assuming office, we have made justice sector reform a cornerstone of our governance. Just a few examples will suffice.
“We were among the first states to fully implement financial autonomy for the judiciary in line with Section 121(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). This has enhanced the efficiency, independence, and dignity of our courts.
“We have carried out a comprehensive rehabilitation and digitisation of our courtrooms across the three senatorial zones. The High Court Complex in Enugu has e-filing, virtual hearing facilities, and an integrated case management system.
“To decongest our courts and promote alternative dispute resolution, we have strengthened and expanded the Enugu Multi-Door Courthouse, making it a model in the region for commercial and family dispute settlement.
“Through partnership with civil society and the NBA, we have expanded access to pro bono legal services for indigent citizens and detainees, especially in rural areas. No one should be too poor to afford justice.
“We have also conducted an extensive codification and review of obsolete state laws to reflect modern realities, ensure gender justice, and promote the ease of business in Enugu.
“Perhaps one of the reforms I am proudest of is when we introduced real-time transcription for our courts. Attaining Verbatim Reporting for the courts has eliminated the strain of longhand recording on judges, cut down on delays and improved productivity,” he said.
He, however, asserted that none of the reforms was an end in itself, noting that they remained part of his government’s broader vision of making Enugu State the preferred destination for investment, innovation, and inclusive development.
“From smart schools, safe communities to accessible healthcare – our vision cannot be achieved without a justice system that is fair, functional, and trusted,” he added.
The Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Dr. Sa’ad Abubakar III, chaired the opening ceremony. Julius Malema, a charismatic leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters of South Africa and a member of the country’s national parliament, gave the keynote address.
