The Supreme Court of Nigeria has strongly refuted allegations circulating on social media that one of its justices traveled to Benin, Edo State, for reasons related to a political case before the court.
In an official statement released by Dr. Festus Akande, the court’s Director of Information and Public Relations, the apex judicial body provided a detailed account of the justice’s visit.
The court clarified that the justice in question had obtained proper authorization from the Chief Justice of Nigeria to attend a burial ceremony in Benin City.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Honourable Justice in question travelled to Benin City on Thursday, 12th June, 2025 to attend the funeral rites of the late mother of Mr. Hannibal Uwaifo, a senior member of the Bar and immediate past President of the African Bar Association,” the statement read.
Emphasizing the purely personal nature of the visit, the court explained: “Prior to the journey, the said Justice formally sought and obtained permission from the Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria to embark on the trip. This private visit was strictly for the purposes of condolence and bereavement as is customary and humane.”
The statement categorically denied any improper conduct by the justice during the trip: “The Honourable Justice neither attended any political meeting nor solicited for inclusion on any panel as falsely alleged. In fact, apart from the funeral service held at St. Matthew’s Catholic Church and a brief stop at the service of songs, the Honourable Justice retired to his hotel room without attending any further gatherings or receptions.”
Addressing the viral image being used as “evidence,” the court noted: “The image being circulated purportedly as evidence merely shows the Justice returning alone to his hotel, hardly a basis for the sensational claims being peddled.”
The Supreme Court expressed deep concern about the impact of such misinformation: “The Supreme Court wishes to state unequivocally that this sort of baseless speculation and malicious conjecture, especially when publicly propagated by persons who ought to know better is not only unhelpful but also deeply harmful to the integrity of the Judiciary.”
The court urged responsible reporting and verification of information: “We strongly urge members of the public, especially commentators on judicial matters to exercise responsibility and discretion. Where there is any doubt or lack of clarity, the appropriate step is to seek verification from the Supreme Court through its official communication channels rather than resorting to the spread of falsehoods aimed at maligning the image of the Justices or bringing the judiciary into disrepute.”
Reaffirming its commitment to justice, the statement concluded: “The judiciary remains committed to upholding the rule of law and will not be distracted by deliberate attempts to undermine its credibility.”