President Bola Tinubu, represented by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, has emphasized the need for comprehensive reform in Nigeria’s justice sector. Speaking at the 2-day National Summit on Justice 2024 in Abuja, Tinubu highlighted his administration’s commitment to prioritizing the justice sector and urged all stakeholders to align with the renewed hope agenda.
He pledged to enhance the efficiency of the judiciary sector and encouraged critical reforms that would enable Nigeria to benefit fully from investments. Tinubu commended the efforts of the Federal Ministry of Justice in saving the nation from international embarrassment and emphasized the importance of increased accountability, delivery, and improved public trust.
Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, echoed Tinubu’s sentiments, emphasizing the importance of addressing issues of corruption, inefficiency, and undue influence in the justice system. He stressed that justice is a fundamental pillar of the rule of law and highlighted the achievements of the judiciary under his watch.
Ariwoola acknowledged that justice remains elusive for many Nigerians due to barriers such as procedural complexities and socio-economic disparity. He called for comprehensive reform to ensure that justice is accessible to all, regardless of their circumstances, and emphasized the need for constitutional, statutory, and operational reforms to reposition the justice sector for the 21st century.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, reiterated his commitment to strengthening the Nigerian justice sector. He disclosed that a major objective of the summit is to validate and adopt the revised National Policy on Justice, 2024–2028, which is the result of extensive research and consultations by critical stakeholders in the justice sector.