Judicial Corruption Remains High – HEDA
THECONSCIENCE NG reports that the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) has expressed deep concern over the widespread corruption within Nigeria’s judicial system.
The findings were presented in the fifth edition of HEDA’s Leadership Approval Rating (LAR) report, titled “Voices for Justice: A Civic Lens on Nigeria’s Judicial System – Documenting Public Experiences, Opinions & Reform Demands,” unveiled on Tuesday in Lagos.
According to the report, an alarming 65.4% of Nigerians perceive corruption in the judiciary as either high or extremely high. Only 42.3% of respondents believe that court decisions are based on merit, while 64% say lawyers actively contribute to judicial corruption.
HEDA’s Executive Secretary, Arigbabu Sulaimon, said the report reflects a nationwide survey of 1,357 participants from all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. He highlighted a fairly balanced demographic — 53.9% male and 46.1% female, with 57% aged between 18 and 35, showcasing strong youth participation.
“The findings reveal major public concerns about judicial accessibility, political interference, corruption, and the erosion of human rights protections,” Sulaimon stated.
The report revealed that 80% of respondents had never directly interacted with the courts. Just 12.6% rated the courts as highly accessible, while 36.5% described accessibility as very poor. Most legal visits were for documents like affidavits, or for land, marital disputes, and rights enforcement.
On corruption, 49% of court users admitted to “sorting” court officials, while only 29% believed judges were impartial. While 55% of respondents felt lawyers promote justice, 45% disagreed. Additionally, 62% felt judges were failing to uphold the principle of being “heard and not seen.”
Regarding political interference, 63.4% said high-profile or political cases expose judges to corruption, and 48.9% noted that such cases are prioritized, leading to delays in other matters. Political, financial crime, land, and human rights cases were identified as the most vulnerable to undue influence.
The report also indicated a deep mistrust in judicial oversight. Only 17% trust the National Judicial Council (NJC) to discipline erring judges, and 70% are unaware of how to report misconduct or corruption in the judiciary. However, 59% agreed that financial autonomy has somewhat improved judicial independence.
In terms of human rights, 60% of participants said courts often enable police abuses and impose bail conditions that violate fundamental rights.
HEDA’s report concluded with a number of reform recommendations, including:
Full judicial autonomy and transparent appointment processes
Improved remuneration and security for judges
Strong anti-corruption frameworks
Use of technology for transparency (e.g., live-streamed court sessions and body cams)
Public legal education and awareness
Establishment of specialized human rights courts
Despite drequent reporting on court-related corruption, only half of respondents felt that such stories reach the broader public consistently. Alarmingly, just 9% said they actively follow NJC-related news.
