The Sultan of Sokoto has criticised Nigeria’s judiciary, warning that justice is now “purchasable” as the wealthy evade punishment while the poor suffer miscarriages of justice.
The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has raised alarm over what he described as the commercialisation of justice in Nigeria, warning that the nation’s judiciary is increasingly failing the poor.
Speaking at the 2025 Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Conference in Enugu on Sunday, the monarch condemned the growing trend where wealth determines judicial outcomes. “Today in Nigeria, justice is increasingly becoming a purchasable commodity,” he said. “The poor are becoming victims of miscarriage of justice, while the rich commit crimes and walk the streets scot-free.”
He urged the NBA to live up to its responsibility of defending the rule of law and ensuring accountability for all, regardless of status.
“You are resolving 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,” he noted.