Get Guardian on Google• Groans over network failures, bottlenecks, mandatory hard copies
• Seeks judiciary intervention
• PPDC cautions against AI-driven decisions in justice system
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Akure branch, has expressed concerns over the handling of remand proceedings in Ondo State, alleging that judicial officers may be compromising personal liberty due to what it described as fears of administrative reprisal.
According to the branch, in a communiqué issued at the end of its monthly general meeting, applications for remand are not always subjected to adequate scrutiny.
The NBA Akure branch, in the communiqué signed by its Chairman, Oju Kekemeke, and Secretary, Oluwanike Omotayo, described the situation as a threat to the safeguards contemplated by the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Ondo State, 2015.
The Association emphasised that decisions affecting personal liberty must be guided strictly by the applicable law and the materials placed before the court, rather than by fear of administrative displeasure.
It, therefore, resolved to engage the leadership of the judiciary to address the concerns.
It also urged strict compliance with statutory safeguards governing remand and the protection of personal liberty.
The meeting also focused on the inefficiencies plaguing the state’s electronic filing system, with the branch noting that the current arrangement operates as an electronic payment platform rather than a fully integrated filing system.
The NBA also stressed that despite online payments and the uploading of court processes, legal practitioners are still required to physically present hard copies at court registries for assessment and stamping.
It noted that recurring network failures, system downtime, and shortages of essential registry materials had made filing slower and more cumbersome, thereby undermining the objectives of automation.
The branch resolved that the filing system should be reviewed to deliver an end-to-end electronic process and recommended that the requirement for lawyers to supply hard copies of already uploaded processes be discontinued.
Meanwhile, the branch has constituted a three-member committee to collate and document specific instances of failures in the e-filing system and report its findings.
IN another development, the Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC) has cautioned against allowing Artificial Intelligence (AI) to determine decisions affecting people’s freedom.
It insisted that human judgment must remain central to Nigeria’s justice system, particularly in cases involving fundamental rights and personal liberty.
The organisation gave the warning at the third Access to Justice Parley and Law for Humanity summit 2026 in Abuja yesterday.
The summit brought together stakeholders to examine the implications of growing reliance on data and AI in justice delivery.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Muyiwa Tola Atoyebi, while speaking at the event, themed “Justice in the Age of Data and AI,” said technology could support judicial decisions but must never replace human responsibility.
Atoyebi, who stressed that AI-driven decisions, particularly those affecting personal liberty and fundamental rights, must be subject to human review, transparency and effective oversight, also called for transparency in procuring and deploying AI tools across courts and other justice institutions.
Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer of PPDC, Lucy James Abagi, called for stronger collaboration among justice sector institutions to improve access to justice.
