For a country that prides itself on its democratic tag, Nigeria has an unpleasant penchant for distorting the meaning of justice. The long-drawn trial of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), is a dark pointer to the Nigeria’s unbalanced commitment to the rule of law. Trials were again adjourned this week, adding to a lengthy list of adjournments which have turned a legal procedure into a national spectacle.
Kanu’s case is no longer one of guilt or innocence. It has become a test of whether the Nigerian state can mete out justice without fear, favour, or politics. Since his re-arrest in 2021, following a controversial global operation, IPOB leader Kanu has remained in custody in the wake of a series of legal motions, flouting of court orders, and shifting government positions. This series has raised valid issues of selective justice and executive abuse.
When the government chooses which judgments of the courts to obey, it betrays the fundamental principle of a democratic state. The courts are supposed to be the last resort of the common man, not instruments of political convenience. Nigeria cannot continue to sermonize obeying the rule of law while disobeying such judgments that are not to the pleasure of the incumbents. Justice cannot be conditional.
The cost of this protracted trial runs beyond the court. Each snag unleashes ethnic emotions and heightens suspicion between the Southeast and the rest of the country. It verifies the perception for the majority of Nigerians that justice in Nigeria is slow and partial. This perception, whether true or not, is dangerous for a country still struggling to co-habit peacefully.
The Federal Government should not forget that justice delayed is justice denied. The constant adjournments in Kanu’s trial have diminished public faith in the judiciary and provided room for rumour and propaganda. While no individual is above the law, neither should anyone be below its protection. If the government feels it has a case, it should prosecute it with fairness and openness. If it doesn’t, it should respect the law and allow the courts to decide without interference.
The democracy of Nigeria can be as strong as its respect for due process. The selective justice undermines national unity, weakens the institutions, and fosters impunity. The executive should resist the temptation to use the courts as a political tool. Any government claims to defend the law until the law is in opposition to it.
Nnamdi Kanu’s trial is an opportunity for the Tinubu administration to prove that it is different from the rest; that it respects the letter and intent of justice. Barring politics and people’s opinion, it is an opportunity to restore faith in Nigeria’s democracy.
A nation that delays justice for one person risks denying justice to all. The law must be permitted to follow its complete course, speedily, justly, and transparently, for Nigeria’s stability and credibility.
See also:
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World Bank Calls It Poverty, Tinubu Calls It Politics
Nigeria’s Economy: Glimmers of Hope or Mirage of Reform?
