The House of Representatives Committee on Justice has declared that every Nigerian law graduate who completes and passes the Bar qualifying examinations at the Nigerian Law School must be called to the Bar without further delay.
This resolution came during an interactive session held on Thursday, May 8, 2025, at the National Assembly in Abuja between the lawmakers and the management of the Nigerian Law School.
Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Olumide Osoba, said the lawmakers would ensure that the necessary processes are implemented to fast-track the call of qualified law graduates to the Bar.
The lawmakers also pledged to approve sufficient budgetary allocation for installing Close Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras across all campuses of the Nigerian Law School to tackle examination malpractice.
The House had earlier debated a motion on March 27, 2025, titled ‘Need to Address the Withholding of Bar Results and Backlog of Students Awaiting Call to the Bar.’
Following that motion, the lawmakers mandated the Committee on Justice and the Committee on Legislative Compliance to investigate delays law graduates face and recommend solutions.
In its latest decision, the House urged the Council of Legal Education and the Nigerian Law School to release all outstanding Bar results, warning that prolonged delays are causing needless hardship for aspiring lawyers and their families.
The lawmakers further directed the council to establish a transparent and efficient process to streamline the Call to Bar ceremony, ensuring that graduates who have completed their academic requirements can begin their legal careers without unnecessary waiting.
Moreover, lawmakers asked the Nigerian Law School to put in place a support system for affected students, including mental health services and counselling, to cushion the psychological impact of the delays.
They also called for greater accountability from the bodies in charge of Bar examinations to ensure a transparent and fair process.
Responding to the concerns raised, the Director-General of the Nigerian Law School, Prof. Isa Hayatu Chiroma, clarified that the institution remains committed to admitting only qualified law graduates into the Bar qualifying programme and that candidates who fail to pass the examinations are the only ones left out of the Call to Bar.
He explained that Nigeria currently has 101 universities offering law at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, all monitored and accredited by the National Universities Commission (NUC).
Prof. Chiroma also pointed out that the responsibility of calling successful candidates to the Bar lies with the Body of Benchers, not the Council of Legal Education, underlining the role of the various legal bodies involved in the process.
The committee’s probe was officially referred to them in a letter dated March 7, 2025, addressed to Hon. Olumide Osoba by the Clerk of the House, Dr. Yahaya Danzaria.
