Political Islam, judicial corruption and the realisation of social justice in Nigeria

Abstract

The Judicial arm of government is often touted as the last hope of the commoner. It then presupposes that this all-important arm of government cannot be left in the hands of individuals whose integrity, sense of equity, fair play and justice are in doubt.  It is an arm of government that requires people of impeccable character and absolute fidelity to justice. Since the return to civilian rule in 1999, the Nigerian Judiciary has been enmeshed in varied forms of corruption.  This study, historically and analytically, examines corruption in Nigeria's justice administration system.  The study revealed that the colonial origin of the state, its nature and character, play significant roles in the administration and dispensation of justice.  Not only that, it further argues that the organisation of the state in line with the exploitative capitalist and neo-liberal political, economic and social policies, which have intensified poverty, deepened inequality, decaying infrastructure and mass unemployment, cannot help but engender pervasive corruption. This perhaps explains why hitherto efforts to combat corruption in Nigeria have yielded little or no positive results. The paper then avers that Islam, within its doctrine, includes a system of justice and the organisation of society in an equitable and egalitarian manner that can help insulate the Nigerian judiciary and the judicial system as a whole from the current unenviable position it is in. The study concluded that the independence of the judiciary guaranteed by law comes with significant responsibility, and that any society where justice is either for sale or for the highest bidder cannot guarantee peace or social justice, which are critical desiderata for the social, economic, and political emancipation of any society.