By Our Correspondent
The battle against corruption in Nigeria is losing momentum, with 23 former governors and numerous high-profile officials escaping conviction years after being arraigned for graft.
Justice remains elusive, as their cases linger indefinitely in courtrooms—some for over a decade—without resolution.
Even more damning, some of these embattled politicians now hold powerful positions in the National Assembly and the federal cabinet, their corruption trials seemingly forgotten.
Others have died before facing justice, leaving a trail of unanswered questions about the state’s commitment to fighting corruption.
Legal experts and civil society organizations (CSOs), are pointing fingers at judges, lawyers, and the government, accusing them of deliberate delays, legal loopholes, and a weak judicial system that shields the politically powerful.
David Babajide, Director of the Justice and Human Rights Reforms Initiatives (JHRRI), did not mince words, accusing senior lawyers of actively sabotaging corruption trials.
“Many senior lawyers are using legal technicalities to protect corrupt officials, securing injunctions that block prosecutions indefinitely,” he stated.
Babajide urged the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), to investigate and sanction legal practitioners who aid corruption by frustrating trials.
Legal scholar Prof. Ernest Ojukwu (SAN), lamented that despite the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), being designed to speed up trials, systemic failures—including excessive adjournments, weak investigations, inadequate court infrastructure, and poorly trained judicial officers—have crippled its effectiveness.
“Without strict adherence to trial timelines, digital case management, and tougher measures against deliberate delays, corruption trials will remain a national embarrassment,” Ojukwu warned.
Human rights lawyer Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN), highlighted another disturbing reality: insufficient courts, poor funding, and logistical nightmares.
“Imagine a suspect is in custody, the court is ready, the lawyers are prepared—but there’s no vehicle to bring the accused to court, or no electricity in the courtroom. These are the absurd realities of our justice system,” he revealed.
With corruption draining billions from Nigeria’s economy, critics warn that the failure to prosecute top politicians not only emboldens corruption but erodes public trust in the judiciary.
As Nigerians watch, the question remains: Will these powerful ex-governors ever face justice, or will their cases fade into history, like so many others?
