Nigeria: Northern Elders Raise the Alarm Over 'Judicial Injustice' in Nigeria

What the report says

The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has warned that what it sees as rising judicial injustice in Nigeria is undermining trust in the courts and could threaten the rule of law, constitutional democracy and political stability. The remarks were reported by Leadership and distributed by AllAfrica from Abuja on 3 August 2026.

In a statement issued by NEF spokesperson Prof. Abubakar Jika Jiddere, the forum called for urgent reforms to protect the judiciary’s independence, transparency and integrity. It said public confidence is weakening because of concerns about how some cases are handled, especially those linked to political rights, civil liberties and democratic participation.

NEF also highlighted delays in cases involving personal liberty and what it described as long bail processes with strict conditions. The group argued that court proceedings must remain impartial and free from outside influence, and that the constitutional presumption of innocence should be respected throughout judicial processes.

The forum said the judiciary has an especially important role as Nigeria prepares for another election cycle, because decisions affecting political rights need to be clearly grounded in law and free of any appearance of bias. Its appeal reflects broader worries often raised in Nigeria about court independence and public trust, though the article does not cite a specific case or response from judicial authorities.