Ebonyi Chief Judge Sounds Alarm: Corruption Threat To Justice in Nigeria

From Nabob Ogbonna, Abakaliki

The Chief Judge of Ebonyi State, Justice Elvis Ngene, has said that bribery and political gratifications remain major threats to fair hearing and effective justice delivery in Nigeria’s judicial system.

Justice Ngene maintained that this disturbing trend has caused many Nigerians to lose confidence in the judiciary and to keep their distance from the courts.

He made this known on Friday at the Ebonyi State High Court, Abakaliki, during the 2024/2025 legal year ceremony.

According to him, corruption within the justice delivery system, manifested through bribery, manipulation, and the perversion of justice for monetary or political gains — poses an existential threat to fair hearing and access to justice.

“There is no denying the fact that integrity issues exist within the justice system in Nigeria,”

“Public perception of corruption among judicial and court officers discourages people from seeking justice in the courts, as they prefer to resolve their conflicts through other means.”he said.

Justice Ngene, however, commended the National Judicial Council (NJC) for putting in place disciplinary mechanisms to curb the ugly trend.

“Thankfully, the disciplinary mechanism of the National Judicial Council has done quite a lot in curbing this menace,” he noted.

To further address the challenge, the Chief Judge urged all practicing lawyers and judicial officers to adhere strictly to the code of conduct and maintain the highest ethical standards.

“I urge all of us at the Bar and on the Bench to uphold the highest ethical standards, as any act of misconduct undermines the credibility of the entire justice system,” he said.

Justice Ngene also revealed that the Ebonyi State Judiciary generated approximately ₦83.6 million in revenue in 2024.

According to him, the Probate Registry ranked first among the revenue sources with ₦54.7 million, while marriage registrations, which came fourth, generated ₦6.9 million.