Nigeria’s Supreme Court scored zero in a government ethics and integrity test, trailing hundreds of other agencies in a damning report that highlights the integrity issues plaguing major federal institutions.
The apex court was found non-compliant in the 2024 Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard (EICS), a report released by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). It scored zero, joining 14 other government bodies at the bottom of the assessment, which evaluated 330 Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
The report comes at a time of intensified scrutiny on the judiciary, plagued by allegations of corruption and irregularities. Recent statements by retiring Supreme Court justices have corroborated widespread concerns.
In October 2023, Justice Dattiji Muhammad lamented the mismanagement of judiciary funds and systemic corruption, echoing Justice Ejembi Eko’s earlier call for anti-corruption agencies to probe the financial records of the judiciary.
Lawyer and activist Dele Farotimi, in his book, “Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System,” alleges widespread corruption in the Supreme Court and other courts. He accused lawyer Afe Babalola of corrupting the judiciary. Mr Babalola has denied the allegations and has filed a defamation case against Mr Farotimi.
According to the ICPC, the EICS measures compliance across indicators such as management culture, governance structures, financial systems, and administrative policies like ethics education and whistle-blowing mechanisms.
The ICPC noted recurring issues such as the absence of whistle-blower policies, ineffective strategic plans, and neglected financial audits, contributing to an erosion of public trust in non-compliant institutions.
Others
The Supreme Court was joined by other poorly performing MDAs, including the Nigeria Press Council, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, Federal Civil Service Commission, and several educational and health institutions. These bodies also scored zero due to similar systemic deficiencies.
In contrast, high-performing agencies like the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) scored 89.75%, followed by the Nigerian Railway Corporation (88.73%) and the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (88.73%).
At the unveiling of the report, ICPC spokesperson Demola Bakare noted that only 2.92% of the MDAs assessed were deemed completely non-compliant, while 29.55% achieved substantial compliance, and over half demonstrated partial compliance.
“Common gaps included the absence of strategic plans and financial audits,” Mr. Bakare said, according to Premium Times.
He said the Supreme Court’s lack of responsiveness to compliance efforts warrants close monitoring in 2025. The ICPC is also set to introduce sector-specific rankings and corruption risk assessments to guide reforms and improve accountability in high-risk institutions.
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