The Enugu State Government has firmly dismissed allegations circulating in some online media platforms accusing the Ministry of Justice of demanding ₦50,000 as a review fee for accepting petitions, describing the claims as “false, wicked, and mischievous.”
In a statement issued on Friday by the Director of Information at the Ministry of Information and Communication, Chukwuemeka Nebo, the government clarified that “the Ministry only requires practitioners applying for certified true copies (CTC) of public documents, fiats and related reviews to pay statutory and approved processing fees to the prescribed public coffers, as obtained in other public institutions, including courts across Nigeria.”
The statement stressed that such processing fees are long-established, legal, and do not apply to crime victims or lawyers acting pro bono.
“These processing fees are not new, but have always existed. They are not taxes. They do not go into private pockets — certainly not under the Mbah administration,” the government stated.
It also emphasized that “the Ministry of Justice and the Attorney General’s office do not charge for the submission or review of petitions, complaints, or requests by victims or ordinary citizens seeking redress or assistance.”
According to the government, the publication was nothing more than a “sinister smear campaign by those opposed to accountability and excellence.”
“These allegations are unfounded, misguided, and masterminded by individuals threatened by the towering successes and achievements of the administration of Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, especially in the justice sector,” it said.
The statement further condemned the source of the claims, noting that the lawyer who pushed the publication relied on hearsay from a dispatch rider rather than verifying facts with the Ministry or the Attorney General.
“It is sad that the instigators of the sinister publication, including its arrowhead, who is a lawyer, only relied on hearsay… without contacting fellow lawyers in the Ministry of Justice or the Attorney General for a redress or response before sponsoring the wicked propaganda,” it added.
The government therefore demanded an immediate retraction of the “false, malicious, and defamatory” reports.
The statement described the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr. Kingsley Udeh, SAN, as “a man of impeccable character and uncompromising integrity.”
“He remains committed to ensuring that justice in Enugu State is accessible, free to those who need it, administered with excellence, delivered promptly, and carried out with transparency and fairness,” the statement affirmed.
Highlighting key reforms in the justice sector under Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah’s administration, the government listed achievements including the digitalisation and automation of court processes, e-filing, virtual hearings, integrated case management systems, expansion of the Multi-Door Courthouse and Citizens’ Rights and Mediation Centres, establishment of a Witness Support Fund, and the introduction of multiple e-services to speed up justice delivery.
“All complaints and petitions are treated 100% free of charge and expeditiously. Service delivery that previously took weeks or months is now conclusively treated within days,” the statement noted.
The government concluded that these reforms reflect the administration’s commitment to making justice accessible, efficient, transparent, and investor-friendly.
“The present administration takes matters of justice and citizens’ rights seriously and does not hesitate to address any such issues brought to its notice. Justice in Enugu State remains free, firm, and efficient — not for sale,” it declared.
