NBA: judicial corruption threatens democracy
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has warned that judicial corruption poses an existential threat to Nigeria’s democracy, social justice, and the rule of law Its President, Afam Osigwe (SAN), called
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has warned that judicial corruption poses an existential threat to Nigeria’s democracy, social justice, and the rule of law
Its President, Afam Osigwe (SAN), called for urgent and far-reaching reforms to restore public confidence in the justice system.
Delivering a paper titled: “Judicial Corruption in Nigeria: A Menace to Democracy and Social Justice,” Osigwe described the situation as both a moral crisis and a democratic emergency.
The NBA president decried the growing public perception that the courts, constitutionally meant to be the last hope of the common man, have become places “where justice can be delayed, manipulated, or even purchased by the highest bidder”.
He said: “Democracy thrives only where the rule of law is respected.
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“Once the courts are seen as instruments for shielding the corrupt or persecuting political opponents, elections lose meaning, governance becomes arbitrary, and citizens lose faith in the state.”
Drawing from constitutional provisions, judicial authorities, religious texts, and empirical data, Osigwe traced the corrosive impact of corruption within the judiciary on democratic governance.
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According to him, a compromised justice system fractures the social contract between citizens and the state, discourages investment, fuels insecurity, and deepens social and economic inequality.
Osigwe cited findings from the surveys carried out by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), and Transparency International, noting that judges rank among public officials perceived to be highly vulnerable to bribery.
“When corruption infiltrates the justice sector, disproportionately harms the poor and vulnerable, turning justice into a privilege of wealth and influence rather than a right guaranteed by law,” he warned.
Acknowledging efforts by the National Judicial Council (NJC) to discipline erring judges, Osigwe argued that current measures are insufficient to rebuild trust.
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The NBA president also called for more decisive and transparent actions, including reforms in judicial appointments, disciplinary mechanisms, case-assignment systems, and the funding of the judiciary.
“Merit, integrity, and accountability must replace patronage and opacity,” he said, stressing that without such reforms, public confidence in the courts would continue to erode.
The NBA President stressed that the fight against judicial corruption is a shared responsibility.
He noted that corruption survives because there are both “corrupters and corruptees,” insisting that progress would remain elusive unless citizens refuse to offer bribes and actively report misconduct.
Osigwe urged lawyers, judges, religious institutions, traditional rulers, civil society organisations, and the media to take a firm moral stand against corruption.
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“We must stop celebrating wealth of questionable origin,” Osigwe said, adding that societal values play a crucial role in sustaining or dismantling corrupt systems.
The NBA president warned that Nigeria’s democracy cannot endure with a compromised judiciary.
He said: “History will judge the Bar and the Bench, not by the eloquence, but by their courage to act.”
According to him, restoring faith in the justice system is indispensable to protecting fundamental rights, strengthening democratic governance, and achieving lasting social justice in Nigeria.
