The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, has expressed serious concerns over the justice system in Nigeria, stressing that it is fast becoming a “purchasable commodity” that favours only the wealthy and leave the poor at a serious disadvantage.
This was as he also lamented Nigeria’s recurring problem of poor policy implementation in spite of what he described as “very good policies.”
Sultan Abubakar, who stated these on Sunday, August 24, 2025, while speaking at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Annual General Conference in Enugu, emphasised that corruption and inequality were fast eroding the integrity of the judiciary.
In the words of Abubakar; “Justice is increasingly becoming a purchasable commodity, and the poor are becoming victims of this kind of justice, while the rich commit all manner of crimes and walk the streets scot-free”.
The Sultan therefore tasked lawyers to remain firmly committed to the rule of law, ensuring accountability, equity, equality and fairness before the law, and stressed that justice is the foundation of every stable society.
He also said; “You should resolve to uphold the highest principles of the rule of law to ensure that everyone, including those in power, is subject to and accountable under the law.
“If we are able to do this, we would have addressed the core of the crisis of governance in this country,” he said.
Abubakar commended the NBA for choosing the theme of the conference; “Stand Out and Stand Tall”, saying that it was timely given the urgent need for legal practitioners to uphold their professional standard and duty.
The Sultan particularly urged the conference participants to always pursue justice as their ultimate goal, thus tasked the NBA to use the conference as a platform to reflect on issues shaping the country’s future.
Sultan Abubakar expressed the hope that the NBA conference will give critical attention and address issues that are pertinent to the future of our society.
According to him; “Three things are particularly important: continuing efforts at law reforms to gradually decolonise our laws and make them closer to our values, culture and history; addressing social justice to tackle glaring inequalities and foster cohesion; and improving access to justice, especially considering the rising cost of litigation and the exclusion of the weak and vulnerable.
“Law and learning are inseparable. At the core of the study of law is the knowledge of value, and justice is one of those core values the law is supposed to achieve,” he said.
