President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Afam Osigwe, has called for urgent justice reforms in Nigeria, stressing that “all is not well”.
Osigwe spoke on Tuesday at the opening of NBA Gombe Branch Law Week with the theme, ‘Strengthening Justice Through Reforms: Lawyers as Agents of Change’.
He noted that the theme resonates with the critical role lawyers play as stakeholders in the administration of justice and emphasized the need for renewed commitment to meaningful reforms.
The NBA President acknowledged the strides made through the enactment of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, which was designed to improve the efficiency of Nigeria’s criminal justice system.
However, he lamented that despite these reforms, correctional centres across the country remain overcrowded.
According to him, “Many courts continue to impose stringent bail conditions that undermine access to justice, while law enforcement agencies have also failed to fully align with the spirit of the reforms envisioned under the ACJA.”
He further observed that although the ACJA provides for the use of bondsmen to facilitate the grant of bail, courts have largely failed to take advantage of these provisions, creating opportunities for injustice and impunity to persist.
The NBA President expressed hope that participants at the Law Week would leave with a renewed determination to ensure that the justice system works fairly and effectively for all citizens.
“We must build confidence in our justice system by taking ourselves seriously and projecting ourselves as genuine agents of change,” he stated.
While thanking the NBA Gombe Branch for the opportunity to share his views, Osigwe maintained that significant challenges remain within the justice sector.
“All is not well,” he remarked, stressing the need for collective efforts to restore public trust and confidence in the legal profession and the administration of justice.
The President commended the Gombe Branch for organizing what he described as an enriching and timely Law Week focused on one of the most pressing issues confronting the legal profession and the justice sector.
The Law Week continues with a series of engagements aimed at exploring practical pathways for strengthening justice delivery and advancing reforms within Nigeria’s legal system.
