The Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Barrister Kabir Akanbi, has called on judiciary correspondents across the country to remain fair, balanced, and objective in their reporting of judicial activities.
Speaking over the weekend in Abuja while receiving Executive members of the National Association of Judiciary Correspondents (NAJUC), Abuja chapter, who paid him a courtesy visit, Akanbi stressed the need for informed, well-researched, and unbiased reportage to protect the image and credibility of the judiciary.
He expressed concern over what he described as disappointing and often sensationalized portrayals of the judiciary in the public domain, particularly on social media. According to him, it is unjust to tarnish the reputation of the entire judiciary because of the alleged misconduct of a few individuals.
“I make bold to say that majority of judicial officers in the country are men of honour, integrity, highly educated and impeccable characters, who have been discharging their adjudicatory duties without blemish, fear or favour,” Akanbi stated.
He described as unpatriotic and unfair the generalisation that judicial officers have not lived up to the expectations of Nigerians, noting that the National Judicial Council (NJC) is actively addressing the conduct of the few errant ones to preserve the sanctity of the judicial arm of government.
The Chief Registrar also decried the lack of proper channels for judicial officers to defend themselves when negative reports are published, adding that such one-sided stories—especially from social media—have contributed to damaging Nigeria’s reputation internationally.
“Most of these reports are targeted at a few individuals and the Bench, because they do not have media aides to speak in their defence. When these unverified stories are released to the public, people tend to believe them, and ultimately, it is the image of Nigeria that suffers,” he said.
Akanbi, therefore, called for increased collaboration between NAJUC and the Judiciary to ensure more accurate and professional dissemination of information.
In his remarks, Chairman of NAJUC Abuja, Mr. Kayode Lawal, congratulated the Chief Registrar on his appointment and said the visit was to reaffirm the association’s commitment to upholding the ethics of journalism in reporting judicial matters.
He described judiciary correspondents as unofficial spokespersons for judicial officers, disseminating their judgments and activities to the public, and emphasized the importance of maintaining a strong working relationship with the Judiciary.
Also speaking, Barrister Tobi Soniyi, Special Assistant (Media) to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, highlighted the longstanding relationship between NAJUC and the Supreme Court, and urged both parties to continue nurturing the cordial ties.
Lawal expressed confidence in Akanbi’s ability to deliver in his new role, citing his experience, legal expertise, and administrative acumen as key assets.
He assured the Chief Registrar of NAJUC’s dedication to truthful, fair, and professional reportage in the interest of justice and national development.
