The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has warned that while AI offers efficiency and accessibility, breaches of data and manipulation of electronic records could erode public trust. She said technology was no longer an option, but an imperative, and urged the legal community to recommit to fairness and accountability.

The CJN disclosed this in her goodwill message at the Lagos State Judiciary 2025/2026 new legal year summit held at MUSON. The summit, themed “Cybersecurity in an AI-Driven Justice System: The Bar, The Bench and the Ethical Concerns,” was attended by judges, lawyers, policymakers, and legislators, who examined both the opportunities and the ethical dilemmas that new technologies present for justice delivery.

The CJN underscored the urgency of the conversation and acknowledged the immense potential of AI and digital tools to make justice more efficient and accessible. She also warned that the risks could not be ignored. Breaches of data, manipulation of electronic records, and the misuse of judicial information, she said, could undermine public trust in the entire system.

For technology to strengthen justice rather than overwhelm it, she urged the bench and the bar to recommit to fairness, impartiality, and accountability, guided by the values of integrity and diligence.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented at the event by Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro (SAN), echoed the concerns while pledging continued support for the judiciary’s digital transformation. For Lagos, a metropolis under immense pressure from population growth and commercial disputes, he said innovation was critical if justice must be timely and effective.

He stressed the importance of responsible adoption, acknowledging the risks posed by biased algorithms, insecure data, and tampered electronic evidence, stressing: “If court systems can be infiltrated by malicious actors, then the sanctity of justice is endangered.”

The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, added a political dimension to the discourse, noting the gap in cybersecurity legislation at the state level.

According to him, while the Assembly was mandated to make laws for residents, it is constrained by the fact that cybersecurity falls within the Federal Government’s exclusive list, adding that it creates a gap in protecting citizens from new forms of digital crime.

He called on stakeholders to consider ways to empower states to make laws that respond to local realities, so that justice could keep pace with technological change.

In his keynote, digital rights advocate Mr Olumide Babalola, warned that unless portals and accounts were regularly audited, the courts risked being manipulated.

Earlier, the Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Kazeem Alogba, gave a blunt assessment of the situation, noting: “There is no escape route for us from the use of AI, which is now all-pervading globally.”