A legal expert, Professor Adebisi Arewa of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, has stated that an alarming 99.99% of Nigerians lack access to justice.1 This stark declaration was made during a recent special session on public interest litigation, where he emphasized that the absence of accessible justice undermines national development and human dignity.
The Broader Picture
The claim highlights a systemic problem in Nigeria, where the formal justice system is largely inaccessible to the vast majority of the population. Access to justice is not just about having courts and lawyers; it encompasses the ability of citizens to have their legal rights protected and to seek redress for grievances in a fair, timely, and affordable manner.
Several factors contribute to this crisis:
- Poverty: With a significant portion of the population living below the poverty line, many Nigerians cannot afford the high cost of legal fees and court processes.2 This financial barrier effectively shuts out the poor and marginalized from the legal system.
- Inefficient and Corrupt System: The judicial process is often characterized by long delays, case backlogs, and allegations of corruption.3 The slow pace of justice delivery frustrates litigants and erodes public confidence in the system.4
- Lack of Awareness: Many citizens, particularly in rural areas, are unaware of their legal rights or where to seek help. Legal aid services, while they exist, are often underfunded and have limited reach.5
- Inadequate Legal Aid: Despite the existence of the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria (LACON), it is faced with insufficient funding and a scarcity of personnel.6 This limits its capacity to provide effective representation, especially for indigent citizens who make up a large percentage of pretrial detainees.
The Impact on Society
The consequences of this “justice gap” are profound. It breeds a culture of impunity, as perpetrators of crimes and human rights abuses know that most victims will be unable to hold them accountable. This in turn leads to a breakdown of the rule of law and an increase in social tensions and conflicts. The lack of faith in the formal system pushes people to seek redress through alternative, and often unfair, informal justice mechanisms.
Legal and human rights organizations are advocating for reforms to address this issue. These include institutionalizing pro bono legal services, increasing funding for legal aid, and leveraging technology to make legal information and services more accessible to all Nigerians.7 The stark statistics provided by the legal expert serve as a powerful call to action for all stakeholders to work towards a more just and equitable society.
