By Kazeem Akanbi
A failure to implement immediate reforms will cause the reputations of the judiciary and the legal profession to suffer, leading to a breakdown of public confidence in the rule of law, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has warned.
Speaking at special court proceedings to mark the commencement of the Supreme Court’s 2025/2026 Legal Year and the investiture of 57 new Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), Fagbemi said his office has noted an increase in complaints against senior members of the bar, which, though relatively few, are significant enough to warrant concern.
“If reforms are not undertaken promptly, the reputations of the judiciary and the legal profession would suffer, and public trust in the rule of law would be disrupted,” he warned.
Fagbemi expressed particular concern over what he described as the judiciary’s “negative reviews or perception indexes,” noting that many Nigerians now question the impartiality of the courts due to perceived undue influence, inconsistencies in judgments, and delays that frustrate justice.
“It is most troubling to see the negative reviews and perception indexes of our judiciary,” he said. “Public confidence is presumably shaken because of public perceptions of undue influence, inconsistency in rulings, and delays which frustrate justice.”
Urging both the bar and the bench to maintain integrity and transparency, Fagbemi stressed that every legal practitioner must ensure that the judiciary, like Caesar’s wife, remains above suspicion and reproach.
His remarks come amid growing public discourse on judicial credibility and calls for reforms aimed at strengthening accountability and restoring confidence in the courts.