The United States government has expressed concerns over security and justice delivery in Nigeria, citing cases of enforced disappearances and arbitrary detentions. According to the US Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2025 the Nigerian judicial system faces challenges, including lengthy pre-trial detention and delays.
The report highlights that bail provisions are often arbitrary, with suspects kept incommunicado and sometimes incarcerated indefinitely in investigative detention. It also notes that law enforcement and intelligence agencies do not always follow due process in prosecuting corruption cases, arresting suspects without appropriate warrants.
The US report raises concerns over security challenges in Nigeria, including enforced disappearances and arbitrary detentions. It specifically mentions the case of dozens of young men detained at a former police station in Anambra State, whose whereabouts remain unknown since the disbandment of SARS
The report also notes that the new minimum wage of N70,000 has been undermined by the continued depreciation of the naira. With the naira trading at over N1,500 to the dollar, the minimum wage has lost its value, and many workers are not covered by the wage increase.
Reacting to the US report, the Presidency said the country’s judicial system is addressing concerns about lengthy pre-trial periods and other issues. The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, also noted that the government is stabilizing the naira and recalibrating the economy.
Dare claimed that several security challenges have abated, and there is better coordination of security efforts from all security agencies. He also stated that the naira has stabilized and the economy is undergoing a recalibration, yielding positive results.
The US report also flagged concerns over early marriage, despite federal laws stipulating 18 years as the minimum age. It noted that some states, especially northern states, do not uphold the federal minimum age, and children as young as 11 can be legally married under customary or religious law.
The report observed that between 70 and 80 percent of Nigeria’s working population operates in the informal economy, where authorities fail to enforce wage, hour, and occupational safety and health laws. This raises concerns about the welfare and protection of workers in the informal sector
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