The Persistent Belief in Spiritual Attacks on Legal Practitioners in Nigeria
Although Nigeria’s constitution does not recognize witchcraft or the use of charms, long-standing rumors persist about alleged spiritual attacks on lawyers and the judicial system. In many parts of the world, men in white wigs face undue pressure from political interests, powerful individuals, and aggrieved parties while discharging their professional duties. However, beyond the visible pressures of the courtroom, physical threats and assaults, some lawyers and judges have reported facing unusual spiritual attacks while handling certain sensitive cases.
Diabolism or charms, commonly referred to as juju, have no place in Nigeria’s law and legal system. An unidentified lawyer, in a viral video clip on X and Instagram, shed light on such practices and appealed to litigants to stop directing spiritual attacks at opposing lawyers during court proceedings. His experience became a widely discussed topic among religious and legal communities, where differing opinions were expressed on the place of juju and charms in Nigeria’s legal system.
The lawyer emphasized that lawyers are professionals carrying out their ethical duties and should not be targeted through spiritual means that could undermine justice. He urged litigants to attack only their opponents, not the lawyers handling their cases. This message sparked widespread discussion online, highlighting the prevalence of beliefs in consulting spiritualists to influence court outcomes in Nigeria.
A Retired Judge’s Harrowing Experience
A retired judge of the Federal High Court in Imo State, who asked to be identified only by her first name, Joyce, shared her experiences of what she described as spiritual attacks during court proceedings. She recounted an instance when she arrived at court, took her seat, and prepared to begin the day’s proceedings. After handling the first case without difficulty, the second became problematic.
“When the second case was called, I was preparing to listen to the submissions, and that was the last case for the day. I became unusually still and quiet, staring ahead without speaking for a long time. For several minutes in the courtroom, I was blank and confused. I did not know where such a feeling came from, but I was unable to proceed with the case, and I had to adjourn it to a later date.”
Joyce believed the strange occurrence was linked to spiritual attacks intended to distract or weaken her resolve in delivering a fair judgment. For her, the experience became a test of faith rather than a moment of defeat. Instead of yielding to external pressures, she became more determined to carry out her judicial responsibilities with integrity and without fear or favor.
The Legal Perspective on Juju and Charms
Belief in supernatural intervention is not uncommon in parts of Nigeria, where spirituality and traditional beliefs often intersect with daily life. Legal analysts often frame such accounts in broader terms. They noted that the real challenge facing judges is the intense pressure associated with high-profile cases, including threats to life, physical attacks, and other forms of intimidation.
They stressed that attempts to influence judicial decisions, whether through bribery, threats, or coercion, have long been recognized as challenges in many judicial systems worldwide. Nigeria’s justice system, long regarded as the bedrock of law and order, is increasingly entangled in narratives that extend beyond the physical realm.
Legal Provisions Against Witchcraft and Charms
Section 210 of the Criminal Code Act criminalizes offences related to witchcraft and charms. It states that anyone involved in such acts is guilty of a misdemeanour and liable to two years’ imprisonment. The law provides that any person who, by his statements or actions, represents himself to be a witch or to have the power of witchcraft; or accuses or threatens to accuse any person of being a witch or of having the power of witchcraft; or makes, sells, uses, assists in making or using, or has in his possession any juju, drug, or charm intended to prevent or delay a person from doing what they have a legal right to do, or to compel them to do what they have a legal right to refrain from doing, commits an offence and is guilty of a misdemeanour.
‘Legally, Ethically Unacceptable’
A popular Nigerian human rights lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, cited Sections 210–213 of the Criminal Code, which criminalize acts of witchcraft, sorcery, or juju when used to cause harm, fear, or deceive others. “The idea of clients using ‘juju’ or supernatural means to target a lawyer on the opposing side is both legally and ethically unacceptable. Therefore, any attempt to use such means against a lawyer could constitute a criminal offence.”
Adeyanju emphasized that Nigerian law is secular and evidence-based, arguing that courts decide cases on facts, witness testimony, documents, and applicable statutes, not on spiritual claims, curses, oaths with supernatural backing, or beliefs in the occult. “The Supreme Court treats defences or claims based purely on witchcraft or juju as subjective and legally untenable.”
Physical Threats and Intimidation
Beyond alleged spiritual attacks, several legal practitioners have recounted experiences of intimidation, harassment, and direct threats from opposing parties during high-stakes cases. A human rights lawyer, Jude Ofokansi, said he had, on a couple of occasions, been followed by unknown persons and, at other times, received anonymous calls and threats to drop certain cases.
He noted that these encounters can be deeply unsettling and, in some instances, may discourage lawyers from fully pursuing justice for their clients. “Many people have lost their cases because of these threats and intimidation. However, these accounts point to a troubling environment where legal battles are not only fought on the basis of evidence and law but are also shaped by fear, intimidation, and external pressures.”
Strange Occurrences in the Courtroom
A Delta-based litigation lawyer with 13 years of courtroom experience, Emeke Omogiafo, faced spiritual attacks during a land case in 2021. According to him, strange things began happening barely a week after he took the brief. He said the first sign was waking up in the middle of the night, feeling as though someone was sitting on his chest. He struggled to breathe, as if something was pressing him down, which he initially dismissed as stress.
“Then, on the first hearing date, my car refused to start. I checked the battery, fuel, and everything was fine. I ended up using my wife’s car to go to court. The following night, my tyres burst in my parking lot. There was no explanation for that, and this pushed me to prayer.”
Omogiafo eventually collapsed in court, right in the middle of his submission. He felt dizzy, then blank. He lost consciousness and woke up in the hospital. The doctor said his blood pressure was extremely low and could not explain why he collapsed. But a pastor friend who visited him told him he was under spiritual attack. He prayed with him and advised him to fast for seven days.
‘There’s No Spiritual Attack in Law’
Reacting to what he described as extra-legal harm in litigation, a traditionalist and human rights lawyer, Malcolm Omirhobo, told Sunday PUNCH that the claim is deeply disturbing and professionally inappropriate. He argued that the Supreme Court of Nigeria has consistently emphasized that legal practitioners are ministers in the temple of justice, whose conduct must at all times reflect dignity, responsibility, and fidelity to the law.
Omirhobo noted that legal practitioners confronted with clients expressing such intentions have a duty to advise firmly against such conduct, distance themselves clearly and professionally, and, where necessary, withdraw from representation in line with ethical rules.
Diablism Has No Place in Law – NBA President
Strongly condemning allusion to spiritualism attacks on lawyers, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Afam Osigwe, said ‘juju’ and ‘charms’ have no role in Nigeria’s legal system. “I have practised law for over 27 years and handled numerous critical and high-profile cases, yet I have never encountered juju or charms in court. They simply have no place in our legal system.”
