By Onozure Dania

The Hague Institute for Innovation of Law (HiiL) Justice Sector Advisor, Dr. Rodrigo Nunez, has said that out of every 10 Nigerians who have legal problems, only about four of these got their legal problems solved.

He further disclosed that of 25 million Nigerians who encounter a legal challenge, only 73 per cent file an official report; while seven out of 10 Nigerians suffer more from neighbour-related disputes, crime, money, land and employment-related issues more than anything else.

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Nunez made these disclosures at the Lagos Innovating Justice Conference, where he presented the HiiL survey titled: Justice needs and satisfaction in Nigeria 2018, which according to him, was carried out in collaboration with Nigeria’s Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, CISLAC. He also stated that the survey entailed going into the homes of 6,130 randomly selected Nigerians across all geopolitical regions.

“Their voices represent the experiences of more than 180 million fellow citizens. We knocked at their doors to ask them whether they had experienced one or more of the 102 specific legal problems on our list,” he said.

According to him, the survey further revealed that around 70 per cent of Nigerians sought legal information and advice mostly through people they know in trying to resolve their legal problems while lawyers are accessible only to those who can afford them.

While many people get their problems resolved, sometimes fairness is missing.

He continued: “About 70 per cent of the people acted to resolve their legal problems by approaching the other party directly, even as “resolution usually happens outside of courts and without lawyers.

“Meanwhile, only four out of 10 legal processes reach complete resolution, showing that “majority of Nigerians do not get a fair resolution, particularly in cases related to employment. Also, women and poor people suffer the most in trying to resolve their legal problems, the survey stated.

He further recommended the creative use of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms; investments in justice innovation; use of data for evidence-based interventions; design of hybrid justice chains to strengthen the role of the police in resolving non-criminal legal problems and also deliver ‘inclusive justice journeys’.

In his remarks, the Vice- President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, who was represented by the Special Adviser to the President on Economic Matters, Dr. Yemi Shipeolu, also observed that access to justice is hampered by poverty, traditional and cultural practices among others.

He disclosed that the Federal Government had set up an Advisory Group on Innovation & Creativity, adding that several APPs among others have been developed to deal with many public sector challenges.

Also speaking at the event, Founding Partner, Africa Law Practice, ALP,  Olasupo Shasore, SAN, stated that the wealth of nations is tied to their intangible asset, namely, the justice sector.

He said: “If you don’t deal with petty crimes in a megapolis like Lagos, you would soon deal with bigger crimes.” According to him, the ecosystem must be considered in devising any innovation for the justice sector.

On her part, Nigeria’s former Education Minister, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili said that ‘judicial disruption’ is a viable solution to justice sector challenges across Africa.

According Ezekwesili, judicial reforms are seemingly unending and have assumed a pejorative meaning.

She added: “The biggest problem of our time is inequality and while innovation is at the heart of disruption, stakeholders must begin to engage in judicially-specific innovation, as the best we can do for the under-privileged in our country is to ensure that justice is democratised.”

The event, which took place at Landmark Event Centre, Victoria Island Extension, Lagos was also attended by the Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, and the British Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Laure Beaufils and HiiL Chief Executive, Sam Muller.