In November 2022, the then Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, declared Nigerians, especially the political class, as the most litigious people on earth.

Nigeria stands at a critical democratic crossroads. With the 2027 general elections approaching steadily, the lessons of the 2023 elections remain fresh, unresolved, and deeply consequential.

The facts of this case have brought to the fore an urgent and a compelling need for holistic reforms in the administration of the criminal justice sector and proper training for all institutions involved in the investigation of crime and criminal prosecution.

The bail process in the administration of the criminal justice system is meant to be a temporary reprieve for all defendants who have allegations made against them before the Court, pending the conclusion of the trial and at times, the hearing and determination of the appeal.

As Nigeria settles into 2026, the nation’s courts will undoubtedly become the most consequential theatres of power.

In a year marked by heightened public scrutiny, political tensions, constitutional contestations and renewed focus on justice delivery, the Nigerian judiciary found itself at the centre of national conversation.

Barely months after President Bola Tinubu assented to four landmark tax reform Acts aimed at overhauling Nigeria’s fiscal framework, a fresh controversy that threatens to undermine the credibility, legality and enforceability of the new laws before their scheduled commencement on January 1, 2026, erupted last week.

The Supreme Court’s judgment on the suit challenging President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency has triggered intense constitutional debate, reopening old questions about federalism, executive power and the fragility of democratic mandates.

The decade-long trial of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu finally reached a dramatic climax last week when the Federal High Court, Abuja, convicted and sentenced him to life imprisonment on terrorism charges—closing one of the most contentious criminal proceedings in Nigeria’s recent history.

The flurry of activities since November 3, 2025, when America declared Nigeria as a country of particular concern, has been mind-boggling but generally not unexpected.