Sunday Dare urges comprehensive reform of Nigeria’s justice system

By Adejayan Gbenga –

The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, has called for far-reaching reforms in Nigeria’s justice and law enforcement systems to strengthen the rule of law and rebuild citizens’ trust in public institutions.

Dare made the call on Friday while delivering a keynote address at the maiden summit of the Media Transformative Group (MTG) held at the IACD Centre, American Corner, Jericho, Ibadan. The event, themed “Rule of Law: Systemic Problem, The Way Forward,” brought together journalists, legal experts, civil society advocates, and policymakers.

He noted that despite Nigeria’s progress at 65 years of nationhood, the country still faces a moral challenge — the struggle to make law supreme over men, rather than men supreme over law. “Our problem is not the absence of laws but the failure to apply them fairly and effectively,” he said.

The presidential aide identified several systemic weaknesses affecting the rule of law, including outdated legal codes, a sluggish court system, and an overstretched police force. According to him, laws such as the Penal and Criminal Codes remain colonial relics, carrying penalties that no longer deter crime in a modern economy.

Dare also lamented the slow pace of justice, noting that despite the enactment of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, many states have failed to implement its provisions effectively. He said justice delayed continues to mean justice denied for millions of Nigerians.

He urged the government to prioritize legal modernization, full implementation of the ACJA, police reform, judicial independence, and civic reorientation. He also emphasized the need to empower the Nigeria Law Reform Commission (NLRC) to continuously review and update the country’s laws in line with social and technological realities.

Highlighting the strategic role of the media, Dare said journalists must move beyond reporting infractions to exposing systemic failures that enable injustice. “The media remains the oxygen of democracy and the conscience of accountability,” he stated, adding that ethical journalism is a patriotic duty in today’s era of misinformation.

Dare reaffirmed President Tinubu’s commitment to strengthening the rule of law through ongoing reforms in police modernization, judicial welfare, and law review. He concluded by calling for a national culture of consequence, saying, “Without consequence, there can be no justice; without justice, no peace; and without peace, no progress.”