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The Chief Judge of Ebonyi State, Justice Elvis Ngene, has lamented the persistence of corruption within Nigeria’s justice delivery system, warning that corruption poses “a grave threat” to fair hearing and access to justice.
Mr Ngene spoke on Friday during a special court session marking the opening of the 2025/2026 legal year of the Ebonyi State judiciary.
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The event was held at the High Court complex in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital.
Manifestations of corruption
Mr Ngene noted that corruption manifests in forms such as bribery, manipulation, and the perversion of justice for monetary or political gratification.
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This, he said, has continued to undermine public confidence in the judiciary with some Nigerians preferring to “resolve conflicts elsewhere”, outside the courtroom.
“There is no denying the fact that integrity issues do exist within the justice system in Nigeria.
“Public perception of corruption among judicial and court officers is a discouraging factor that keeps some people away from the courts, preferring to resolve their conflicts elsewhere,” he said.
The chief judge commended the National Judicial Council (NJC) for its disciplinary efforts in tackling unethical practices within the judiciary.
Why judges must maintain highest ethical standards
He emphasised that judges must remain “true and faithful to the constitution and the law” in the discharge of their responsibilities.
“All of us at the bench must maintain the highest ethical standards as any act of misconduct undermines the credibility of the entire justice system,” Mr Ngene stressed at the special court session on Friday.
“Any slight violation of the Code of Conduct for judicial officers constitutes judicial misconduct.”
Praise for Ebonyi Judiciary
Mr Ngene praised the Ebonyi State Judiciary for maintaining an “impeccable record of chastity and integrity.”
The chief judge assured that the state’s judges and magistrates would continue to uphold the reputation as the judiciary advances into the new legal year.
He also highlighted ongoing efforts to improve physical and institutional infrastructure across the state’s judicial divisions.
Mr Ngene pointed out that a new edifice housing six magistrate courts at the Ochudo Centenary City is nearing completion, while High Courts 1 and 2 in Abakaliki have been completed and are awaiting commissioning alongside the expected appointment of a new judge.
He also mentioned the construction of a new High Court complex in Ohaozara and plans for more court buildings across other judicial divisions.
Tackling delays and underfunding
Mr Ngene said underfunding and delays in trials are major impediments to access to justice in Nigeria, describing them as “the biggest ailments afflicting the justice system.”
He called for renewed attention to cost-effective reforms such as strengthening specialised courts and divisions, including Small Claims Courts and Family Courts.
“Improving access to justice is not a challenge to be fixed singlehandedly by any one body.
“We must work collaboratively with the Executive, Legislature, Correctional Institutions, Civil Society Organisations, the Academia, and individuals,” he said.
Judicial autonomy
Mr Ngene reiterated the call for judicial autonomy and then lamented the inadequate funding of the judiciary, which he said, often leaves it “at the mercy of the pocket.”
“The drum of judicial autonomy has been beaten for so long that the melody seems to have been doused, but we cannot give up on it,” he said.
He, however, commended successive administrations in Ebonyi State, particularly the current government led by Governor Francis Nwifuru, for their support to the judiciary.
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He argued that such support had elevated the state’s judicial system to “an enviable height” in Nigeria.
“As the world gradually becomes digitised, our attention must focus on more rigorous legal education and innovation,” he said.
Corruption in Nigeria’s judiciary
Nigeria’s judiciary has been facing corruption allegations for several years.
Between 2018 and 2020, about N9.4 billion was corruptly demanded, offered and paid as bribe in Nigeria’s justice sector, according to a survey by the The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
According to the ICPC survey, lawyers were the most responsible for offering bribes for favourable judgment with 27.17 per cent while litigants followed closely with 21.96 per cent, court staff (clerks, registrars etc) 21.54 per cent; judges 16.88 percent, and government MDAs 7.37 percent.
A total of N721 billion was disbursed as cash bribes to Nigerian public officials in 2023, according to a similar survey published by United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC).
Derived from a survey jointly conducted by the UNODC and the National Bureau of Statistics, the survey further showed that judges were the recipients of the highest average bribe amount, receiving N31,000 per bribe.
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