The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, has raised concern over the state of Nigeria’s justice system, warning that justice is fast becoming a “purchasable commodity” that favours the wealthy while leaving the poor at a disadvantage.
Speaking on Sunday as a guest speaker at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Annual General Conference in Enugu, the Sultan said corruption and inequality were eroding the integrity of the judiciary.
“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 lamented.
He praised the NBA for choosing the theme “Stand Out and Stand Tall” for the conference, describing it as timely given the urgent need for legal practitioners to uphold their professional duty.
According to him, lawyers must remain firmly committed to the rule of law, ensuring 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 are able to do this, we would have addressed the core of the crisis of governance in this country,” he said.
The Sultan reminded participants that justice is the foundation of every stable society, stressing that law must always pursue justice as its ultimate goal. He urged the NBA to use the conference as a platform to reflect on issues shaping the country’s future.
“This conference, I hope, will also give you the time to address issues that are pertinent to the future of our society. Three things are particularly important: 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.
The Sultan also lamented Nigeria’s recurring problem of poor policy implementation despite what he described as “very good 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 is supposed to achieve,” he told the gathering, which also had in attendance South African opposition leader, Julius Malema.
