A retired judge, Justice Amina Augie, has cautioned lawyers against relying overly on Artificial Intelligence(AI), especially for legal citations.
Augie gave this advice in her keynote address at the 40th anniversary celebration of the Nigerian Law School (NLS) class of ‘86 on Saturday in Abuja.
The keynote was titled “The Rule of Law and Justice Delivery: The Last 40 Years, Today and Tomorrow — Whither Nigeria?”
Augie urged lawyers to verify information generated by AI before using it in legal proceedings.
“A machine can predict the next word; it cannot read life.”
She said technology could not replace human judgment and professional responsibility.
She implored legal practitioners to uphold the rule of law to ensure justice and strengthen public confidence in the country’s justice system.
Augie described the rule of law as a promise that must be kept to ensure justice, stressing that public confidence in the justice system depended on its consistent observance.
She said the rule of law protected citizens, encouraged investment and made the future more predictable, stressing its importance to justice and national development.
“The rule of law is a promise; justice will be released whenever the promise is kept.
“Where the law is reliable, the poor are protected from the strong,” she said.
Augie identified delays and the high cost of justice as major challenges, noting that access to justice became difficult when cases took too long.
She urged lawyers to uphold ethics and integrity, saying their responsibility extended beyond the courtroom to protecting the public interest and democratic institutions.
Also speaking, Ballason Mabeiam, Chief Executive Officer of House of Justice, stressed the need for judicial independence and adequate funding for the judiciary to strengthen the rule of law.
Mabeiam said funding for the judiciary, including the provision of official residences for judicial officers, should be included in the judiciary’s budget rather than left to the executive.
She also called for clarity in the role of the Attorney-General, stressing that the office must prioritise the public interest and the rule of law rather than serve executive interests.
According to her, the justice system must remain committed to protecting citizens’ rights and ensuring fairness, adding that justice should be the guiding principle in resolving conflicts and upholding the law.
In his welcome address, Mr Marcellous Oru, SAN, chairman of the NLS Class of ’86, described 40 years as a significant milestone in the life of any group or organisation.
He said members resolved at their last Annual General Meeting in Enugu on Aug. 26, 2025, to celebrate four decades of shared history, resilience and growth.
“40 years is a remarkably significant milestone in the life of a group, class, person, nation or organisation,” he said.
Oru recalled that the class graduated from the NLS in Victoria Island, Lagos, with dreams and aspirations they hoped to fulfil.
He said the class remained committed to supporting the NLS, which he described as its primary constituency.
Oru said the class had built four Harvard-standard moot courts at the NLS headquarters in Bwari, Abuja, to support students’ learning.
He added that the class donated a new Toyota Hiace bus to facilitate movement and established an award for the best student in professional ethics.
On his part, Mr Mohammed Bello, SAN, chairman of the organising committee, said the class had produced professionals who served Nigeria across different fields.
He listed justices, Senior Advocates of Nigeria, professors, attorneys-general, permanent secretaries, military generals, directors and other public servants among its members.
Bello said the anniversary was also an opportunity to remember classmates who had died during the 40-year journey.
He urged members to support one another rather than compete, saying they should celebrate one another’s successes and stand together during difficult times.
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