The Human Rights Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Lafia Branch, has voiced serious concerns about rising human rights abuses in Nasarawa state’s judiciary—highlighting illegal arrests by proxy and the troubling demand for money as a precondition for bail in some courts.

During a courtesy visit to the Nasarawa State Judicial Service Commission (JSC) in Lafia, the committee called for urgent reforms to restore fairness and transparency in the criminal justice system.

Welcoming the delegation, JSC Secretary, Yahaya Yakubu Shafa, reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to human rights protection and announced ambitious plans to fully digitize all courts in the state.

According to him, a modernized judiciary will foster justice, reduce fear among citizens, and allow judges and lawyers to operate more effectively.

“To protect our people, we must ensure human rights are respected through functional and efficient court systems”, Shafa stated.

He also revealed plans for a forthcoming town hall meeting aimed at educating stakeholders on proper bail procedures and preventing abuse of legal provisions.

NBA Human Rights Committee Chairman, Muhammad Danjuma, praised the JSC’s recent efforts to clamp down on fraudulent affidavit issuers, but urged for deeper reforms.

He specifically criticized the misuse of Section 162 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law, which regulates bail conditions, and condemned practices such as proxy arrests and monetary bail demands.

“These actions are not just illegal, they’re deeply damaging to public trust in the judiciary,” Danjuma said, urging the Commission to work closely with the Chief Judge to put an end to these violations.

The visit marks a key step in the NBA’s ongoing campaign to protect citizens’ rights and ensure justice is served without prejudice or exploitation.