NIGERIA: Tinubu Caution Judges Over Sales Of Judgement 

By Onoja Baba, Nigeria 

The Nigerian president Bola Tinubu on Monday declared open the 2025 All Nigerian Judges Conference at the National Judicial Institute in Abuja, charging judges to guard the integrity of the judiciary jealously, warning that no amount of reform can succeed where integrity is compromised.

He described public confidence as the true currency of justice and urged the Bench to restore faith through fairness, impartiality, and swift dispensation of justice.

Speaking on the conference theme, “Building a Confident Judiciary,” the President told the gathering of serving and retired Chief Justices of Nigeria, Justices of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal, Heads of Courts, and judges from across the federation that the strength of the judiciary lies not in buildings or technology but in the men and women who interpret the law with unwavering honesty.

President Tinubu acknowledged public frustration over delays, concerns about integrity, and difficulties in accessing justice, stressing that these perceptions must be confronted through deliberate reform. He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to providing institutional and material support, including improved judicial welfare, continuous training through the National Judicial Institute, and full-scale digitisation of court processes to eliminate delays and enhance transparency.

The President commended the judiciary for its historic role as the stabilising force of Nigeria’s democracy, particularly during moments of national uncertainty, and pledged sustained investment in modern infrastructure and case management systems so that no court is left behind in the transformation.

Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun, who received the President, thanked him for his unwavering support for the cause of justice and described the biennial conference as a vital platform for judicial officers to reflect, collaborate, and strengthen institutional ethics in the service of the nation.