El-Rufai makes shocking claims about Nigeria’s judiciary—accusing judges of bias, corruption, and executive influence. But how deep does the rot go?
Abuja, Nigeria – May 13, 2025 | Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has stirred nationwide outrage after accusing Nigeria’s judiciary of being deeply corrupt, compromised, and no longer trusted by the public.
Speaking on Monday at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Bwari Branch Law Week in Abuja, El-Rufai delivered a fiery speech in which he alleged that “justice is for sale” in Nigeria and that the courts no longer deliver justice, but rather administer the law according to the executive’s bidding.
“There is a seemingly unbridgeable gulf between law and justice in Nigeria,” he declared. “Not only is justice wanting, but the law that is administered seems to be according to the wishes of the executive.”
El-Rufai, a trained lawyer and graduate of the University of London, sharply criticized what he called the rampant use of ex parte orders in political matters, the rise in forum shopping, and a growing culture of judicial manipulation by politicians and powerful elites.
According to him, public trust in the judiciary has eroded drastically, and many Nigerians now view the court system as a tool for the rich and powerful.
“Justice is now available only to those who can afford it,” El-Rufai said. “The judiciary, meant to be the bedrock of fairness and order, is under intense scrutiny.”
He did not stop there. The former governor took aim at the National Judicial Council (NJC), accusing it of failing in its oversight role. He cited opaque judicial appointments, inconsistent rulings on electoral cases, and inadequate punishment of corrupt judges as key indicators that the NJC itself is in dire need of reform.
“If we must be honest, we must admit that the perception of a high level of judicial corruption is now mainstream,” he said. “The NJC has not succeeded in its mission and is now itself desperately in need of restructuring.”
El-Rufai painted a grim picture of the Nigerian justice system, warning that judges are no longer revered by the public but are now “maligned, disrespected, and mentally assaulted” due to the collapse of integrity within the system.
His remarks have since gone viral, sparking heated debate across legal, political, and civic circles. Many view El-Rufai’s comments as a bold indictment of a system that has long operated under a cloud of suspicion.
The former governor urged lawyers and judges to embark on sober reflection, questioning whether “Justitia still holds the scales of justice in fine balance.”
His speech has added fuel to an ongoing national conversation about judicial independence, the politicization of the courts, and the role of the judiciary in sustaining Nigeria’s democracy.
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