The Northern Elders Forum has raised concern over what it described as the growing incidence of judicial injustice in Nigeria, warning that declining public confidence in the courts poses a serious threat to the rule of law, constitutional democracy and the country’s political stability.
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The forum made its position known in a statement issued on Sunday by its spokesperson, Prof. Abubakar Jika Jiddere.
NEF called for urgent judicial reforms aimed at strengthening the independence, transparency and integrity of the courts, stressing that the administration of justice must remain impartial and protected from political or other external influence.
According to the forum, Nigeria’s democracy is facing one of its most serious institutional challenges since the country returned to constitutional rule.
“The rule of law is the foundation of every constitutional democracy. Once citizens begin to doubt the independence, impartiality and integrity of the courts, the legitimacy of every democratic institution is placed at risk. No nation can remain politically stable where justice is perceived as selective, inconsistent or susceptible to external influence,” the statement read.
The forum said disturbing trends had emerged across the country, requiring urgent institutional reflection and corrective action.
It noted that judicial proceedings involving political rights, civil liberties and democratic participation had increasingly generated public concern over consistency, predictability and adherence to constitutional principles.
NEF also expressed concern over delays in the determination of cases involving personal liberty and the prolonged consideration of bail applications, particularly where stringent conditions are imposed.
The forum maintained that personal liberty should never become a casualty of procedural technicalities, stressing that the constitutional presumption of innocence must remain central to every criminal proceeding.
“The Constitution guarantees that every accused person remains innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction, and every judicial process must faithfully uphold that guarantee,” it added.
NEF said the judiciary bears an even greater constitutional responsibility as Nigeria prepares for another electoral cycle, warning that decisions affecting political rights must be clearly founded on law and free from any appearance of bias.
“Every judicial decision affecting political rights must be demonstrably independent, legally sound and transparently reasoned,” the forum stated.
“The courts must remain above every appearance of political preference, institutional bias or external influence. Justice must not only be impartial; it must also be visibly and unquestionably impartial.”
The forum called on all constitutional institutions responsible for protecting judicial integrity to uphold the highest standards of ethics, accountability, transparency and institutional independence.
It maintained that Nigeria’s democracy depends on a judiciary capable of commanding public confidence through fairness, consistency and integrity, warning that where the courts lose public trust, the wider democratic order is placed in danger.
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