Retired Supreme Court Justice Amina Adamu Augie has warned that corruption, prolonged court proceedings and the high cost of litigation are eroding public confidence in Nigeria's justice system, calling for urgent reforms to restore judicial independence, professional integrity and access to justice.
Augie delivered the warning on Saturday, October 17, 2026, in Abuja, during a public lecture marking the 40th anniversary of the Nigerian Law School Class of 1986, popularly known as the Centennial Class. Her lecture, titled The Rule of Law and Justice Delivery: The Last 40 Years, Today and Tomorrow — Whither Nigeria?, examined the development of Nigeria's legal system over four decades and the institutional challenges affecting the administration of justice.
Addressing corruption within the judiciary and legal profession, the retired justice said unethical practices involving judges, lawyers and court registry officials had weakened public trust in institutions expected to protect citizens' rights. She warned that corruption was particularly damaging when it occurred within the institutions responsible for ensuring fairness, resolving disputes and holding individuals and public authorities accountable.
“The third, which I will not dress up, is corruption. Where it exists on the Bench, at the Bar, or in the Registry, it poisons everything by turning the one place that a citizen should find impartiality into one more market stall,” Augie declared.
Despite her criticism, she cautioned against portraying the entire judiciary as corrupt, acknowledging that many judges and lawyers continued to discharge their responsibilities honestly under difficult working conditions. She argued that misconduct by a relatively small number of influential practitioners could damage the reputation of the wider profession, making consistent disciplinary action essential to restoring public confidence.
Augie maintained that professional accountability should apply equally to junior and senior members of the legal profession. According to her, restoring trust required more than public declarations about judicial integrity; it demanded effective enforcement of ethical standards and a willingness to sanction misconduct regardless of the status or influence of those involved.
Turning to delays in the administration of justice, the former Supreme Court justice described the growing volume of cases before Nigerian courts as a major obstacle to effective judicial proceedings. She expressed particular concern about the workload of the Supreme Court, explaining that the apex court continued to receive appeals involving matters that should ordinarily have been resolved at lower judicial levels.
Drawing on her experience on the bench, Augie recalled instances in which the Supreme Court had been required to consider relatively minor disputes despite its responsibility for determining important constitutional and legal questions. She said the pressure on the court had become so severe that some appeals were being assigned hearing dates extending as far as 2031, illustrating the difficulties facing litigants seeking timely resolution of their cases.
The retired justice consequently called for constitutional amendments to restrict the categories of appeals that could proceed to the Supreme Court. She argued that reforming the appellate process would allow the country's highest court to concentrate on matters of substantial legal and national importance while reducing unnecessary delays in the administration of justice.
Augie also criticised the financial burden associated with pursuing legal remedies, warning that the high cost of litigation could prevent people with limited resources from obtaining justice. She maintained that a credible legal system must provide meaningful access to the courts regardless of an individual's economic circumstances, rather than allowing financial capacity to determine who can effectively pursue or defend a legal claim.
On judicial independence, she identified inadequate funding and dependence on the executive as serious institutional concerns. Augie argued that courts could not exercise their constitutional responsibilities effectively if they remained dependent on government authorities for essential operational resources, including court facilities, vehicles and judicial entitlements.
She maintained that financial autonomy should be understood as a safeguard for litigants and the administration of justice rather than a privilege for judges. Her position was that an adequately funded judiciary would be better equipped to perform its duties independently and maintain public confidence in the impartial application of the law.
The former Supreme Court justice further criticised the failure of some government authorities to comply with judicial decisions, particularly orders involving the release of detained persons. She cited the prolonged detention of former National Security Adviser Sambo Dasuki and Islamic Movement of Nigeria leader Ibrahim El-Zakzaky as examples of cases that had raised serious concerns about respect for court orders.
“A nation cannot ask its people to obey the law while its government refuses to be bound by it,” Augie said, stressing that the authority of the courts depended on compliance with their decisions. She argued that disregard for judicial orders weakened constitutional government and created the impression that powerful institutions could operate outside the legal framework binding ordinary citizens.
The retired justice also linked the effectiveness of the justice system to Nigeria's economic development, explaining that investors required predictable legal institutions capable of enforcing contracts, protecting property rights and resolving commercial disputes. She warned that uncertainty surrounding legal rights and prolonged litigation could discourage investment by making business transactions and dispute resolution less reliable.
“Investment is an act of confidence in tomorrow, and the rule of law is what makes tomorrow predictable,” she stated.
Augie referred to Nigeria's position in the 2025 World Justice Project Rule of Law Index, in which the country ranked 120th out of 143 countries. She presented the ranking as an indication of the institutional challenges facing Nigeria, including weaknesses in accountability, access to justice and the protection of legal rights.
Looking towards the future of legal practice, she encouraged lawyers to embrace technological developments while maintaining professional responsibility for their work. She specifically warned against relying on artificial intelligence to produce legal arguments or authorities without proper verification, noting that inaccurate or fabricated judicial citations could undermine legal proceedings.
According to Augie, technology could assist legal professionals with research, document analysis and the organisation of judicial materials, but it could not replace the ethical judgment required in legal practice. She urged lawyers to verify every authority submitted to the courts and remain personally accountable for the accuracy of their arguments.
The retired justice concluded by calling on legal practitioners, judicial officers and public authorities to strengthen their commitment to the rule of law. She maintained that improving judicial independence, reducing delays, expanding access to justice and enforcing professional standards were essential to rebuilding public trust and ensuring that Nigeria's legal institutions could effectively protect citizens' rights.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments