Former Nigerian leader Goodluck Jonathan has criticised what he described as weakening public institutions and a growing tendency by authorities to dismiss allegations of wrongdoing by directing citizens to the courts.
Speaking at a public event, he argued that such responses often raise questions about fairness and accountability in governance.
He said:
“We see government institutions doing the wrong thing and telling people to go to court.”
Jonathan further drew on a popular East African expression to explain his concern about public trust in adjudication processes:
“If a thief tells you to go to court, just know that his brother is the judge.”
He suggested that the remark reflects situations where people believe outcomes may already be influenced by relationships within the system, rather than decided purely on merit.
According to him, reliance on courts alone is not enough when citizens already lack confidence in the integrity of institutions. He stressed the need for stronger accountability structures that do not merely shift responsibility to the judiciary while ignoring underlying governance concerns.
