When court orders are obeyed, it makes the nation a just, fair and investment friendly environment. It makes the nation to join the league of fast developing economics of the world. The standard of life in such a nation will improve, crime index will reduce, and international respect will be accorded. Obedience to, and observance of court orders is a road map of due process, rule of law, accountability and transparency in the country. Hence, the very essence of law in a nation is put in doubt when Orders of court are disobeyed. Disobedience of Court Orders by Nigerian Government is a common phenomenon in the Nigerian polity. The courts are the life-blood of democracy, fairness, and rule of law. The courts have the constitutional duty to make orders which must be obeyed. Nigerian Governments are notorious in disobeying and disregarding Court orders with utter disdain. Sometime in June 2017, the current administration through the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed while defending the Federal Government’s insistence to keep Col. Sambo Dasuki and Ibrahim El-zakzaky in custody posited that the Federal Government is keeping the duos in custody despite court orders granting them bail, for security reasons. This is an Unfortunate statement and reckless excuse by the Federal government against a court order. In law, there is no justification for disobeying court orders. When a court order has been given either rightly or wrongly, the order must be obeyed. It is unlawful and unconstitutional to disobey Orders of the Court even if it is peverse. In OGUEBEGO V. PDP (2016) 4 NWLR (PT 1503) 446 AT 480 PARAS C-D, the Supreme Court held that any person against whom a decision of a court is given is duty bound to obey it, irrespective of whether the person against whom the order is made is of the opinion that the order is void or perverse. He is bound to obey the order until it is set aside. In every democracy, government must lead in example by obeying Court orders. However, this is not the situation in Nigeria. Nigerian Governments are known as law breakers in all ramifications. Section 287 of the Constitution which imposed duty on the Government to obey the judgments of the courts have become impracticable. The Nigerian governments are not respecters of Rule of law entrenched in the Constitution. They are notorious in treating the orders of the court disdainfully and scornfully without due respect. They have brought the whole administration of justice to scorn by ignoring the remedies that courts grant to correct wrongs. When the governments are law breakers, it invites every citizen to be a law unto himself. In Nigeria, where the rule of law is embodied in the Constitution, self- help or disobedience of court orders is not available to the government in view of the fact that such disobedience can breed anarchy and totalitarianism which are antithesis to democracy, rule of law and due process. In N.B.A. V. HENKYAA (2016) 11 NWLR (PT 1522) 164 AT 171-172 PARAS H-C, the LPDC held thus: “In the area where rule of law operates, the rule of self-help is abandoned… Once a dispute has arisen between a person and the government, and the dispute has been brought before the court, thereby invoking the judicial powers of the court, it is the duty of the government to allow the law to take its cause. The court expect the utmost respect of the law from the government itself which rules by the law”. Finally, In our democracy, the governments must know and follow the due process of the law, and resort to the courts for redress in the event of any grievances. Therefore, the executive should not resort to self-help in matters that call for adjudication by the court. The government should allow the rule of law to prevail because any government that defies court orders is breaching the rule of law and dethroning the Nigerian democracy.]]>

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