El-Rufai Blasts Judiciary: Claims Corruption, Bias, and Executive Interference Undermine Justice in Nigeria
Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai has issued a scathing indictment of Nigeria’s judicial system, alleging systemic corruption, loss of public trust, and subservience to political interests.
Speaking at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Law Week event organised by the Bwari branch in Abuja, el-Rufai did not hold back in his critique of the judiciary—a body he described as “under intense scrutiny.”
“In parallel, our judiciary, meant to be the bedrock of fairness and order, is under intense scrutiny,” he said. “Concerns about delayed justice, procedural inefficiencies, and in some cases, judicial compromise (to put the matter delicately), erode public confidence.”
The former governor, a law graduate from the University of London, lamented that justice in Nigeria increasingly appears reserved for the wealthy and powerful. He criticised the growing use of ex parte orders in political cases, accusing some legal practitioners of manipulating the courts for political gain.
“In Nigeria, there is a seemingly unbridgeable gulf between law and justice,” he said. “Not only is justice wanting, but the law that is administered seems to be according to the wishes of the executive.”
El-Rufai further lambasted the National Judicial Council (NJC), accusing it of failing in its disciplinary role. According to him, opaque judicial appointments, contradictory rulings—especially in electoral cases—and inadequate punishment for erring judges have severely damaged the judiciary’s credibility.
“If we must be honest, we must admit that the perception of a high level of judicial corruption is now mainstream,” he declared. “The NJC, I would respectfully say, has not succeeded in its mission and is now itself desperately in need of reform and restructuring.”
Reflecting on the historical reverence once accorded to judicial officers, el-Rufai painted a picture of a judiciary that has fallen from grace.
“Once upon a time, ordinary citizens tiptoed past the homes of judges. Not any longer,” he said. “Now, judges are abused and maligned with almost reckless abandon… How indeed are the mighty fallen.”
