“The poor are becoming victims of this kind of justice, while the rich commit all manner of crimes and walk the streets scot-free” -Sultan of Sokoto
Mixed Reactions As Sultan Says Justice Becoming Purchasable Commodity
“The poor are becoming victims of this kind of justice, while the rich commit all manner of crimes and walk the streets scot-free”
By Nnamdi Mbawike, Kunle Olasanmi, Olugbenga Soyele and Femi Oyeweso
2 hours ago

L-R: Deputy governor of Enugu state, Ifeanyi Ossai, President, Nigerian Bar Association, Afam Josiah Osigwe, SAN, Enugu state governor, Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III and member of the National Assembly of South Africa and founder, economic freedom fighters (EFF), Julius Malema, at the opening of NBA Conference in Enugu State, yesterday. PHOTO: ENUGU STATE GOVT
The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, has warned that justice in Nigeria is increasingly becoming a “purchasable commodity,” where the poor are victims and the rich evade accountability.
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The Sultan, who spoke as a guest speaker at the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Annual General Conference in Enugu on Sunday, warned that corruption and inequality are undermining the integrity of the judicial system.
“Today, 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 crime and walk the streets scot-free,” he said.
He, however, commended the NBA for choosing the theme “Stand Out and Stand Tall,” saying it aligns with the urgent need for lawyers to deliver on their professional mandate.
According to him, the legal profession must remain committed to upholding the rule of law to ensure fairness, accountability, and equality before the law.
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. If we can do this, we would have addressed the core of this country’s governance crisis,” he stated.
The Sultan stressed that justice is the foundation of stable societies and that law must always target justice as its ultimate goal.
He urged participants to use the conference to address critical issues shaping Nigeria’s future.
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“This conference, I hope, will also give you the time to address issues pertinent to our society’s future.
“Three things are significant: 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,” he added.
He lamented Nigeria’s perennial challenge of poor policy implementation despite having “excellent policies.”
“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 should achieve,” the Sultan told the gathering, which included South African opposition leader Julius Malema.
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