An investigation by THE WHISTLER has revealed that court staff at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court locations in Kubwa and Bwari are charging applicants extra fees for affidavit services, going against the court’s efforts to digitize the process and boost transparency.
In 2023, the FCT High Court introduced an electronic Express-Affidavit System with the goal of improving efficiency, reducing delays and costs, and protecting court users from exploitation. The official fee for obtaining an affidavit through this system is N2,000.
However, THE WHISTLER discovered that court staff in Kubwa and Bwari have been demanding an additional N1,000 from affidavit applicants on top of the official fee. The staff claim this extra charge is needed to rent printers and purchase diesel to power generators during electricity outages.
Deponents are given the options of paying N3,180 via ATM card or N3,000 in cash. Court staff justified the extra charges by pointing to challenges like lack of diesel for generators that would prevent them from processing affidavits and force applicants to return another day.
Undercover visits to the Maitama, Kubwa and Bwari locations of the FCT High Court revealed inconsistencies in the affidavit application process. While the Maitama court processed applications smoothly for the official N2,000 fee, the Kubwa and Bwari locations persisted in demanding extra payments.
The FCT High Court has placed banners at its locations warning against paying above the official amount and encouraging applicants to report any demands for extra fees. However, these warnings have gone unheeded by errant court staff.
When confronted, the Director and Head of Commissioners for Oath Department at the FCT High Court, Mrs. Lawal Funmilola Bosede, expressed surprise at the extra fee demands and the claims by staff of needing to hire printers. She stated the court management provides resources like printer toners and threatened any staff caught engaging in extortion with disciplinary action.
Legal practitioners are now recommending further digitization of court processes to reduce opportunities for extortion. They also urge citizens to educate themselves on the judicial system to better understand their rights and promote transparency.
As more Nigerians require affidavit services to reconcile their identification documents, the FCT High Court will need to take more stringent measures to root out corruption and provide the efficient services the public needs. With the spotlight now on these illicit practices, hopes are high that change may finally be on the horizon.
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