Ask the common man: How long does it take to get justice in Nigeria? The answer: Until you are tired.
Facts we cannot deny:
- Over 70% of people in our prisons are awaiting trial. As of May 2026, out of 75,436 inmates, 52,446 are awaiting trial. Some have spent 5, 8, 10 years waiting — no lawyer, no trial, forgotten. Over 2,000 have spent more than 10 years without trial. That is not justice; it is punishment before judgment. This is the highest awaiting-trial rate in Africa.
- Cases can remain in court for 10-15 years. A land case your grandfather started, you are still carrying. The common man cannot afford N500,000 to pay a lawyer, so he abandons the case.
- The judiciary budget has historically been less than 1% of the federal budget. For years, statutory transfer to NJC was N110bn annually. Even with the 2024 increase to N341.6bn, infrastructure remains zero — in 2025, the Justice Ministry executed zero capital projects because funds were warranted but not cash-backed. Judges still write judgments long-hand, no light, no internet. How can justice be fast?
- Police arrest first, investigate later. Bail is free in law, but at the station it is N20,000, N50,000. Who suffers? The poor.
When justice is for sale, who can afford it? The rich man buys judgment, the poor man buys suffering. That is why people no longer trust the courts. They resort to mob action, jungle justice, because they feel the court will not help them.
What Better Nigeria Justice Means:
- Decongest prisons now: Special courts to clear all awaiting-trial cases over 2 years within 6 months. Free legal aid — every LGA must have at least 2 lawyers for poor people, paid by government, not NGOs. We already saw in 2023 that 4,000 inmates were freed because they could not pay fines below N500,000.
- Justice must be fast: 90 days for tenancy, small claims, assault. Maximum 1 year for criminal trial. Electronic filing, virtual sittings, judges typing judgments, not writing. More judges — we need more than the current 1,100+ federal judges for 230 million people.
- Police reform is justice: No more arrest for civil matters. Bail truly free. Cameras in interrogation rooms. If you torture to get a confession, you should go to prison.
- Law for the common man: Make laws available in Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa. Put the law on radio, not only in big books. If a person does not understand the law, how will he obey it?
A nation where law does not work, nothing will work. An investor will not come if the court cannot protect contracts. A market woman will not grow if she knows police can seize her goods.
Your Task Today: Do one justice act, Visit one police station, ask if anyone is there without a lawyer. Connect them to the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria. Or teach one person: Bail is FREE. Share the Legal Aid number. Or report one extortion you witness.
Justice is not for the big man only; it is an everyday necessity.
