Introduction: Justice Turned Farce

In Nigeria, the concept of the rule of law, meant to guarantee order, fairness, and stability, has become a painful irony. Weakened by questionable decisions from the executive branch and the dysfunction of the legislative branch , the justice system itself has descended into farce.

The rule of law in Nigeria is not nonexistent, but its nature is perverted: it functions like a trap. Ideally, a trap is a mechanism for apprehending offenders. In Nigeria, however, it is a selective instrument, dictated by the wealthy who use it as they see fit, while the poor suffer the harshest consequences. To understand the Nigerian reality, one must set aside the Western notion of the norm, where a crime is simply a crime. Here, everything depends on the identity of the perpetrator and the nature of the target .

Double Standards: Eloquent Examples

The blatant inequality in the application of the law is brought to light by high-profile cases.

⚖️ The Trap for Petty Offenders

The Segun Olowookere case is the most publicized illustration of the system's harshness towards the most vulnerable.

1. The Crime: In 2010, at the age of 17, Segun was accused of stealing a chicken and some eggs .
2. The Sentence: After four years of provisional imprisonment, he was finally sentenced in 2014 by the Osun State High Court to death by hanging for armed robbery .
3. The Reality: Segun spent 14 years on death row and in Nigeria's inhumane prison system. He was pardoned in December 2024, but only after paying an exorbitant price for a minor offense.

💰 Impunity for High-Ranking Corruption

In stark contrast, the powerful seem to enjoy de facto immunity.

Criminal Case	Accusations / Evidence	Legal Outcome	Political Consequences
Abdullahi Umar Ganduje (Governor)	Videos from 2018 showing him receiving millions of dollars in bribes from contractors, "irrefutable" proof of corruption for the public.	The case was neutralized by legal maneuvers , jurisdictional arguments and political interference, reducing it to a social media scandal.	Instead of being held accountable, he was propelled in 2023 to the national presidency of the APC, the ruling party.
Azeez Fashola (Naira Marley) (Musician)	Arrested in 2019 by the EFCC on documented charges of cyber fraud (possession of stolen credit card information).	The case dragged on for years, with multiple postponements and blockages, without any conviction, closure or significant sanction .	He continued his flourishing career and was even appointed ambassador by the National Drug Law Enforcement Administration (NDLEA). The case remains unsolved.

The cruel irony is that: the bigger the theft, the less chance the perpetrator has of facing justice.

A Corrupt Judicial System

The Nigerian judicial system, supposed to be the guardian of the rule of law, is a "chaos of misplaced intentions".

The symbol of justice is a blindfolded woman, but the reality is quite different:

1. Libra: She has her eyes wide open and tips the scales as she pleases, for profit .
2. The Sword: It does not serve justice, but the naira (the currency) .
3. Slowness: Justice is served as slowly as possible. Multiple postponements stretch cases over months or years, preventing resolution and punishment.

The system is so weakened that it is only concerned with profit ; human rights and the rule of law are relegated to the background, not necessarily through ignorance, but because the system lacks the means or the will to enforce them against the powerful.

Conclusion: The Rule of Law, a Luxury

A popular Nigerian proverb says, "You can't chase rats out of your house when it's burning down." This means that one doesn't concern oneself with minor problems when faced with major ones. In Nigeria, the application of the rule of law to ordinary citizens has become a secondary issue compared to the political and economic interests of the elite.

Ultimately, the rule of law is a well-known and celebrated principle in Nigeria. However, its effective implementation remains a luxury that only a select few can afford to demand. And it is these same people who, by controlling the means of its enforcement, can choose to flout it with impunity.