The President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, said he did not label judges as the “worst bribe takers” or lawyers as the “worst bribe givers” in a recent speech, clarifying his remarks and urging a focus on evidence and systemic reforms.
Media coverage had circulated claims that the NBA president accused judges and lawyers of being the worst bribe-takers and givers in Nigeria.
The Bar’s leadership responded to these reports after Afam Osigwe delivered an address on judicial corruption on February 6, 2026, at an event themed “Judicial Corruption in Nigeria: A Menace to Democracy and Social Justice” in Enugu.
Corruption in the justice system has been an ongoing topic of public discourse in Nigeria. Law groups, civil society organisations and government agencies have periodically discussed issues related to bribery, ethical conduct and confidence in the judiciary.
In his address, Osigwe acknowledged that many Nigerians have lost confidence in the justice system due to perceptions of corruption, inconsistency and undue influence. He said the judiciary is increasingly seen as a system where justice can be delayed or influenced by improper inducements.
Osigwe’s remarks did not categorise judges as the worst bribe-takers or lawyers as the worst bribe-givers. Instead, he described corruption as a broader societal challenge and noted that it should not be attributed to a single group.
In his address, the NBA president cited a 2018–2020 survey by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that estimated about ₦9.4 billion was paid in bribes within the justice sector, with lawyers accounting for the highest proportion of bribe-givers.
He also referenced a 2024 survey by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the National Bureau of Statistics that estimated Nigerian public officials received about ₦721 billion in cash bribes in 2023, with judges among several affected officials.
Osigwe emphasised that corruption persists because there are both those who offer and those who receive bribes, highlighting remarks by SAN Tayo Oyetibo that “it takes two to tango.”
He also recalled a 2012 statement by former NBA President J.B. Daudu, SAN, that acknowledged corruption within the justice sector without singling out any specific professional group.
The NBA president additionally referred to comments by the Sultan of Sokoto on public perception of justice and commended the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, for her reform-focused statements urging reasoned, impartial and courageous judgments from the bench.
Osigwe’s clarification aims to correct public understanding of his speech and reinforce the narrative that his address was rooted in analysis of data and historical context rather than sweeping characterisations of judges or lawyers.
By referencing empirical surveys and statements by former legal leaders, the NBA president positioned the discussion within a broader frame of judicial integrity and the rule of law.
His remarks could shape how legal professionals, civil society and the public engage on issues of judicial conduct and accountability.
