Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, sparked mixed reactions among politicians and legal experts in Nigeria with his remarks about justice in the country. He warned that justice in Nigeria has become a commodity for sale, where the poor pay the price while the rich escape punishment. The statements were made during the annual conference of the Nigerian Bar Association held in Enugu city last Sunday. Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar chaired the opening ceremony, while Julius Malema, leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters party, delivered the keynote speech amid wide attendance from legal and political figures. The Sultan emphasized that justice is the foundation of societal stability and called for discussions on critical issues such as reforming laws to align with Nigerian values, culture, and history. He also expressed regret over what he called Nigeria’s chronic dilemma of good policies but weak implementation hindering reforms.

His comments sparked broad debate among lawyers and politicians. Lawyer and lecturer Wahab Shittu described the Sultan’s words as unfortunate and unfair, considering the notion that “justice is for sale” as a common street impression rather than fact. Meanwhile, Bankole Solomon, head of civil society and democracy groups in Ogun state, supported the Sultan’s position, stating that justice in Nigeria is indeed bought, with bribes paid at police stations and courts having their price as well. Lawyer Abdul Balogun warned against negative statements about the judiciary, as it is the only institution preventing the country’s collapse. He called for removing corrupt elements without damaging the judiciary’s reputation and affirmed that the justice sector is not as bad as described by the Sultan.

Enugu state governor Peter Mbah said justice sector reform is the cornerstone of his administration and considered law not just a profession but the nation’s conscience, urging everyone to respect it.