Those who sued the Nigerian govt and won damages are being owed N150bn. Does justice truly end with the courts?

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, Wednesday appealed to the Senate to appropriate N30bn to the ministry annually to defray debts.

Malami who was speaking before the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, explained that debt judgements incurred by the Federal Government had risen to N150bn.

He said the bills accumulated because the ministry was not funded regularly to meet its obligations in that regard.

This recurring situation of government failing to pay damages to those who have successfully sued, begs the question, ‘does justice truly end with the courts?’

Many rightly argue that only until court judgments are duly executed can it be truly said that justice has been done.

Observers believe government at all levels must ensure the timely execution of court judgements so that relief can come to those wronged, many times egregiously.

“The Ministry of Justice was mandated to take inventory and explore avenues for the payment of judgement debt which has become hydra-headed,” he said.

“This has arisen because it was only in 2017 that the sum of N10bn was disbursed for the payment of judgement debt as appropriated.

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“As it stands, the sum of over N150bn remains unpaid, prompting beneficiaries of this sum to keep mounting pressure on the Ministry.

“Distinguished members of this committee are hereby respectively requested to intervene on this long standing vex issue by appropriating the sum of N30bn annually to mitigate this challenge.

“It will also forestall possible friction, accrued interests and unwarranted litigations arising from our failure to effect payment.”

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