The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, has warned that justice in Nigeria is increasingly becoming a “purchasable commodity,” where the poor are victims and the rich evade accountability.
The Sultan, who spoke as a guest speaker at the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Annual General Conference in Enugu on Sunday, cautioned that the integrity of the judicial system is being undermined by corruption and inequality.
“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 said.
He, however, commended the NBA for choosing the theme “Stand Out and Stand Tall”, saying it aligns with the urgent need for lawyers to deliver on their professional mandate.
According to him, the legal profession must remain committed to upholding the rule of law to ensure 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 stated.
The Sultan stressed that justice is the foundation of stable societies and that law must always target justice as its ultimate goal.
He urged participants to use the conference to address critical issues shaping Nigeria’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.
He equally lamented Nigeria’s perennial challenge of poor policy implementation despite having “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,” the Sultan told the gathering, which included South African opposition leader Julius Malema.