Lawless Judges, Lawless Lawyers” — Okutepa SAN Blames Bar And Bench For Collapse Of Nigeria’s Legal System
Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Jibrin Samuel Okutepa, has warned that Nigeria’s justice system is on the brink of collapse, accusing members of the legal profession of complicity in the lawlessness, ethical decline, and democratic strangulation currently facing the nation.
In a strongly worded statement, Okutepa said urgent intervention is required from the leadership of the legal profession to rescue the justice system from what he described as “comatose,” echoing the remarks of retired Justice Oludotun Adefope-Okojie, JCA, who recently lamented the state of the judiciary during a book launch.
“The snail pace of justice delivery, the near non-availability of immediate remedies for victims of oppressive proceedings, and the use of state apparatus for persecution are grievous to be ignored. It is a time bomb waiting to explode,” Okutepa said.
According to him, the collapse of ethical standards has made the legal profession the “most hated and the greatest enemy of the people.” He added that lawyers have failed to live up to their constitutional duty of instilling discipline and promoting a corruption-free society.
Citing his learned colleague, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, Okutepa noted: “There is no better test of excellence of a government than the efficiency of its judicial system, for nothing more nearly touches the welfare and security of the average citizen than his sense that he can rely on the certain and prompt administration of justice.”
But in his own view, Okutepa said the situation has worsened beyond Jacobs’ description.
“I think the light of justice has not only gone out in darkness, but darkness has overwhelmed the light of justice in our legal system. Sadly, those who are responsible for this sorry state are members of the legal profession at the Bar and on the Bench,” he declared.
Lending support, another lawyer, Olajide Akinola, Esq., said the failure of the system was self-inflicted.
“Every time a lawyer uses technicalities to frustrate justice, every time a judge compromises integrity, we contribute to this sorry state. The system is not failing by accident; it’s failing because the very custodians of justice, the Bar and the Bench, have failed to protect it,” Akinola said, adding that if the temple of justice has collapsed, “we, its priests, must be held accountable.”
Okutepa further criticized the “crooked manner” of legal practice in Nigeria, describing it as deeply hypocritical.
“We are too religious in appearance but far from God and the fear of God in action and practice. In most cases, truths are murdered on the altar of fabricated lies and stories to support fraud and fraudulent practices,” he lamented, citing electoral cases as fertile grounds where lawlessness and fraudulent legal strategies thrive.
He stressed that institutions themselves are not defective, but those who operate them have destroyed them.
“When a judge knows the law but applies it to serve a predetermined agenda, that judge, in my view, is a lawless judge not fit to be on the bench. Yet we have seen judgments delivered by these lawless judges, and we kept quiet. Too bad. There are lawless lawyers, too,” he said.
The Senior Advocate maintained that unless the Bar and Bench confront their complicity and take responsibility, Nigeria’s democracy and justice system will remain trapped in corruption, lawlessness, and public distrust.
