The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, has expressed sadness over the state of Nigeria’s justice system, saying that it now increasingly favors only the rich while leaving the poor helpless.
Speaking on Sunday in Enugu at the Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), the Sultan lamented that corruption and inequality continue to weaken the judiciary.
“Justice is becoming a purchasable commodity, and the poor are the victims, while the rich commit all manner of crime and walk the streets scot-free,” he said.
He cautioned that this growing imbalance could provoke public anger, mistrust, and even violence, stressing that once citizens lose faith in the courts, many may resort to self-help.
The Sultan called on legal practitioners to put truth and fairness above financial or personal gain.
“It is only when the legal profession leads by example that the public can trust the system again,” he added.
The Sultan’s remarks come after civil society groups have repeatedly raised alarms about overcrowded prisons, where thousands remain in custody awaiting trial just because they lack legal representation or cannot meet bail conditions.