Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun has called for a complete overhaul of Nigeria’s criminal justice system, describing it as weak, sick, and in desperate need of revival.
Speaking at the 2024 Annual Lecture and Award Ceremony organized by the Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria (CRAN) on Thursday, Egbetokun highlighted the systemic challenges facing the country’s justice system and urged collective action for reform.
Represented by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Muyiwa Adejobi, the IGP noted that the police alone cannot shoulder the blame for the system’s inefficiencies.
“Police is not the only pillar or stakeholder in the criminal justice system in this country. We have challenges, we accept, but we will try our best to make sure we have a better system,” he said.
Egbetokun emphasized the need for collaborative efforts to strengthen the administration of justice, which he argued would ultimately benefit all Nigerians.
“All of us must come together to help perfect criminal justice or justice system administration in Nigeria. If this system is working well, it is going to affect you, it is going to affect us.”
The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, also spoke at the event, acknowledging the corrosive effects of corruption on all sectors of Nigerian society, including the justice system.
Aliyu highlighted how corruption undermines critical aspects of governance, including policy-making, resource mobilization, and service delivery.
“Corruption remains one of the most persistent challenges affecting all sectors and institutions of the Nigerian society, undermining policy-decision making, resource mobilization and utilization, policy execution and service delivery,” he said.
The ICPC chairman pointed out specific challenges plaguing the justice system, such as inadequate funding, poor infrastructure, and a shortage of human resources. However, he emphasized that the most fundamental issues lie in the widespread corruption within the sector, including bribery and influence peddling.
“The widespread corruption within the justice system, including bribery, influence peddling and attitudinal challenges, are more fundamental and daunting. Judicial officials exhibit relatively high bribery prevalence, hence the need for targeted anti-corruption measures in this sector,” Aliyu said.
The Call for Multi-Faceted Reforms
Both Egbetokun and Aliyu advocated for a multi-pronged approach to revitalize Nigeria’s justice system. According to Aliyu, the fight against corruption requires more than enforcement; it demands a proactive strategy focused on prevention, deterrence, and systemic reforms.
“Our experience at the ICPC, in partnership with key stakeholders, has shown that tackling corruption effectively across sectors and institutions requires a proactive, multi-faceted approach,” Aliyu stated.
The speeches at the CRAN event brought into sharp focus the urgent need to address the justice system’s failings, which have cascading effects on public trust, security, and governance. Egbetokun’s metaphor of a “sick person” seeking medical help poignantly illustrates the critical state of Nigeria’s criminal justice system.
The weakness of Nigeria’s judiciary is exemplified by controversial rulings that have undermined public confidence in the justice system. One glaring example is the Imo State gubernatorial election of 2019.
In what many have described as a judicial anomaly, the Supreme Court declared Hope Uzodimma, a candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), as the winner of the election despite his finishing fourth in the official results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The court based its decision on votes from polling units that had not been included in the original tally, overturning the victory of Emeka Ihedioha of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
The ruling sparked nationwide outrage and raised serious questions about the integrity of Nigeria’s judicial system, with critics accusing the judiciary of acting under political influence.
Another case that highlights the failures of the justice system is that of Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, a former governor of Abia State. Kalu was convicted in 2019 of embezzling N7.1 billion in public funds during his tenure as governor and was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
However, in 2020, the Supreme Court overturned his conviction on technical grounds, ruling that the judge who presided over the case had been elevated to the Court of Appeal and therefore lacked jurisdiction. Despite the overwhelming evidence against him, Kalu walked free, underscoring how procedural technicalities often take precedence over substantive justice in Nigeria’s legal system.
These cases illustrate a justice system riddled with procedural delays, corruption, and inefficiencies that not only compromise high-profile cases but also affect ordinary Nigerians.
Research shows that the challenges of navigating Nigeria’s justice system are not limited to the elite. From delays in getting basic court dates to fighting for procedural fairness, ordinary citizens face a justice system that is expensive, slow, and often inaccessible.
According to a recent survey conducted and published by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, UNODC, the judiciary is the most corrupt institution in Nigeria; judges are the biggest takers of bribes in this country.
The 160-page report titled “Corruption in Nigeria: Patterns and Trends”, noted that Nigeria’s public officials received N721 billion cash bribes in 2023, and judges topped the list of the recipients.
