By Peter Omopo
Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has accused the Nigerian judiciary of widespread corruption, alleging that some judges and legal practitioners have compromised their roles, thereby eroding public trust in the justice system.
El-Rufai made the remarks on Monday, May 19, 2025, while speaking at the Law Week of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Bwari Branch, held in Abuja.
According to the former governor, increasing judicial delays, procedural inefficiencies, and questionable decisions have contributed to a growing perception that the judiciary is no longer a neutral arbiter of justice.
“In parallel, our judiciary—meant to be the bedrock of fairness and order—is under intense scrutiny. Concerns about delayed justice, procedural inefficiencies, and in some cases, judicial compromise (to put the matter delicately), erode public confidence,” El-Rufai said.
He further criticised the rising use of ex parte orders and forum shopping, particularly in political cases, warning that these practices undermine the integrity of the legal system.
“The rise in forum shopping, the weaponisation of ex parte orders in political matters, and the growing perception that justice is for sale and available only to the rich and the powerful would cause the perceptive observer to conclude that what Nigerian courts do is the administration of law and not the administration of justice,” he added.
El-Rufai’s comments have reignited debate about judicial reforms and the urgent need to restore faith in the Nigerian legal system.
