Dealing With the Obstacles in the Administration of Justice in Nigeria

The administration of justice remains the ultimate structural foundation of any civilized state. It serves as the primary mechanism for maintaining civil order, protecting fundamental human rights, and actualizing the rule of law. In Nigeria, however, the administration of justice is severely constrained by an array of systemic, institutional, procedural, and socio-legal obstacles. This work evaluated these barriers through rigorous doctrinal research methodology. It examined the operational and structural failures across the entire justice ecosystem, which includes the judiciary, law enforcement, and correctional institutions. The paper provides an in-depth analysis of the primary legislative frameworks designed to reform the sector. These include the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, the Nigeria Police Act 2020, the Nigerian Correctional Service Act 2019, the Evidence Act 2011, and the recently enacted Arbitration and Mediation Act 2023. This study revealed that despite these progressive legislative interventions, substantial gaps remain. The system continues to suffer from chronic docket congestion, poor infrastructure, fiscal starvation by the executives, deep-seated corruption, and a persistent culture of prioritizing procedural technicalities over substantive justice. By analyzing seminal judicial precedents and academic literature, this paper isolates the structural bottlenecks that stall trials and cause overcrowding in custodial centers. Ultimately, this research offered a comprehensive legal and policy blueprint for systemic reform. It advocates complete technological integration, genuine financial autonomy for the judiciary, the widespread expansion of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, and the strict enforcement of ethical accountability across the bench and bar.

Justice, Administrative law, Constitution, Nigeria,

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