Why Nigerian Governments Disregard Court Orders—and What It Costs Us
A recent US court order in Massachusetts forced the government to restore national park signs on slavery, climate change, civil rights and more. The administration may appeal, but compliance is already underway. Now imagine a Nigerian court ordering the government to reverse a policy in 21 days with weekly progress reports. How confident are you that it would happen? Activist Omoyele Sowore remained in detention despite a release order. Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky and his wife stayed locked up 17 months after a court ruled for their freedom. Sambo Dasuki won bail six times but never walked free. These cases aren’t isolated. A former president openly stated that national security should take precedence over the rule of law. Court orders in Nigeria often become mere suggestions for the powerful. Every ignored ruling erodes citizens’ rights. It shapes how police treat people and how landlords or officials deal with tenants and ordinary Nigerians. True democracy only works when court decisions carry real consequences.
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