Retired Supreme Court Justice Amina Adamu Augie has warned that corruption in Nigeria’s judiciary and legal profession is eroding public confidence and turning the courts from institutions of impartial justice into what she described as “market stalls.”
Speaking in Abuja at the 40th anniversary celebration of the Nigerian Law School Class of 1986, known as the Centennial Class, Augie identified corruption, political interference, inadequate funding and delays as major challenges confronting the justice system.
She called for lawyers, judges and court officials found guilty of misconduct to be disciplined regardless of their seniority or influence.
“The third, which I will not dress up, is corruption. Where it exists on the Bench, at the Bar, or in the Registry, it poisons everything by turning the one place that a citizen should find impartiality into one more market stall,” she said.
Augie, however, cautioned against condemning the entire judiciary, noting that the majority of judges and lawyers remained honest and hardworking despite poor remuneration and difficult working conditions.
She said the system must provide safeguards against undue pressure and temptation while ensuring that misconduct attracts appropriate sanctions.
The retired justice expressed concern over the conduct of some senior members of the legal profession, saying their actions had damaged public trust in the justice system.
“When a few senior members of the profession have been found to traffic in the corruption of justice, the damage is not to them alone; it stains the gown we all wear,” she said.
According to her, restoring confidence requires more than public relations campaigns. The profession must demonstrate a willingness to discipline its members “without fear or favour,” irrespective of their status.
Augie also stressed the need for greater judicial financial autonomy, arguing that dependence on the executive for basic infrastructure and operational needs undermines judicial independence.
“A Judiciary that must beg the executive for a Courtroom roof, vehicles, or even the Judges’ entitlements is not fully free,” she said.
She described delay as the “chronic disease” of Nigeria’s justice system and criticised the high cost of litigation, which she said puts justice beyond the reach of many citizens.
The retired justice also called for constitutional reforms to reduce the number of cases reaching the Supreme Court, noting that the apex court is burdened with appeals that could have been resolved by lower courts.
She cited an appeal involving the burning of 12 goats that eventually reached the Supreme Court as an example of cases contributing to its workload.
Augie further condemned government officials’ failure to comply with court orders, warning that such conduct undermines judicial authority and weakens the rule of law.
She called for comprehensive reforms to strengthen judicial independence, improve case management, reduce delays and restore ethical standards.
“If Governments obey the Courts, if its Judgments are enforced, if justice comes within a reasonable time and within reach of the poor, if the profession upholds its integrity and disciplines its own, Nigeria would be better positioned to secure its future,” she said.
