Prominent human rights lawyer, Professor Chidi Odinkalu, has raised serious concerns over a reported late-night meeting between Supreme Court Justice Inyang Okoro and the Attorney General of Edo State, Hon. Samson Osagie.
In a series of social media posts on June 13, Odinkalu claimed that the meeting took place around 8 p.m. on June 12 at Protea Hotel, near ShopRite in Benin City. He shared a video showing a man believed to be Justice Okoro at the hotel reception before walking out of view.
The alleged meeting comes just two days after Asue Ighodalo, the PDP governorship candidate in Edo State, filed an appeal at the Supreme Court challenging a Court of Appeal judgment that affirmed the candidacy of Governor Monday Okpebholo of the APC.
“This encounter raises serious ethical questions,” Odinkalu said. “Judges are expected to avoid any interaction that could raise suspicion of bias, especially in politically sensitive matters like this.”
Justice Okoro has not commented on the allegation, nor has the National Judicial Council (NJC) issued any statement as of press time. Attorney General Osagie has denied the report, saying, “I don’t know the judge. It is not an offense to walk about freely.”
Justice Okoro was among the justices arrested in 2016 during a DSS anti-corruption operation targeting high-ranking judges. He was later reinstated without formal charges but has remained a controversial figure in Nigeria’s judiciary.
Legal experts say even the appearance of a private meeting between a judge and a government official involved in a pending case can undermine public trust in the judiciary. Nigeria’s Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers warns judges against conduct that may “give rise to the appearance of impropriety.”
Professor Odinkalu, a former Chairman of Nigeria’s Human Rights Commission, emphasized that the credibility of the justice system depends not only on actual fairness but also on how it is perceived.
“Justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done,” he said. “The courts belong to the people, and their confidence must not be shaken.”
The Supreme Court is expected to hear the Edo governorship appeal in the coming months.
