Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has launched a scathing attack on the Federal Government’s decision to hand over houses to judges in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), describing the policy as unconstitutional, discriminatory and a dangerous violation of the principle of equality before the law.
Falana argued that while judicial officers deserve decent accommodation and adequate security to perform their constitutional responsibilities, conferring exclusive housing benefits on judges without extending similar consideration to other public servants amounts to unequal treatment prohibited by the Constitution.
Speaking at a public event, the senior lawyer questioned the legal basis for the initiative, warning that Nigeria must begin to confront what he described as the growing culture of special privileges for political office holders and members of the elite.
“We have got to a stage in this country where we need to challenge the special privileges given to the rich and top public officers,” Falana said.
“I was very sad when I saw the Federal Government handing over keys of houses to judges. I asked myself, under what law are we operating? It is discriminatory and illegal.”
Falana maintained that government welfare policies must be guided by fairness and equity, insisting that judges should not be singled out for benefits while other professionals rendering equally essential services to the nation continue to struggle.
“You must treat equals equally. Judges are entitled to accommodation. They must live comfortably and be well secured, but other citizens must be equally provided for,” he stated.
He warned that the policy could soon face legal challenge, stressing that constitutional guarantees of equality cannot be selectively applied.
“If you don’t do it, you can be challenged, and that is going to happen very soon because what is good for the goose is good for the gander,” he added.
The senior advocate also highlighted the plight of university lecturers, arguing that professors who have dedicated decades to educating Nigerians receive little attention regarding their welfare despite their immense contribution to national development.
According to him, many professors now live in rented accommodation because universities no longer provide sufficient staff quarters, a situation he described as evidence of the government’s misplaced priorities.
Falana further criticised what he called the excessive benefits enjoyed by former governors who are now members of the National Assembly.
He noted that many of them continue to receive legislative salaries and allowances while also enjoying lifetime benefits, including houses in their home states and Abuja, whereas career civil servants who dedicate 35 years to public service retire without comparable support.
“We must insist that equality before the law in our country is respected,” he said.
The controversy follows Wednesday’s announcement by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, that the newly completed residential quarters for judges of the FCT High Court would be allocated on an owner-occupier basis, subject to the approval of President Bola Tinubu and the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).
During the inauguration of the 20 housing units in Katampe, Abuja, Wike disclosed plans to construct additional courts and more residential accommodation for judges as part of efforts to strengthen judicial infrastructure in the FCT.
The initiative has, however, drawn widespread criticism from civil society groups and governance advocates.
Socio-accountability organisation MonITNG accused the FCT Administration of pursuing misplaced priorities, arguing that while thousands of residents in Abuja’s satellite communities remain without clean water, functional schools and accessible healthcare, government resources are being channelled into housing projects for a select group of public officials.
The organisation urged the FCT Administration to redirect public spending towards critical infrastructure and basic social services that would benefit the broader population rather than providing exclusive welfare packages for privileged office holders.