CSO Advocates for Enhanced Data Security in the Justice System

Samuel Akpologun, who serves as the executive director of the Open Society on Justice Reform Project, has called upon judicial stakeholders, governmental organizations, and civil society groups to make legal data protection a priority within the justice administration framework.

Akpologun made this request in a statement issued after the worldwide observance of World Data Backup Day.

World Backup Day is observed annually on March 31st to highlight the significance of safeguarding and securing data.

As society transitions from analog to digital, data has become the new standard and now serves as the foundation for judicial systems, government operations, and human rights activism.

Akpologun believes data backup is more than a mere IT requirement; it is an essential component of judicial integrity.

He stated that for Nigeria’s judicial system to successfully combat its ongoing struggles with systemic inefficiency, delays, and opacity, effective data management is not only crucial but also a critical reform priority.

Akpologun emphasized that the OSJRP is committed to fostering access to justice, particularly for the poor and vulnerable, but regretted that one of the biggest challenges to effective justice delivery is the poor state of digital infrastructure and data management within the judiciary.

Inadequate or inconsistent data backup systems have led to the loss of case files, postponements of trials, and reduced transparency within judicial procedures. Insufficient safeguards for data leave confidential legal documents vulnerable to corruption, alteration, and both intentional and unintentional damage.

For instance, the Lagos Judiciary continues to recuperate from the damage caused by fire during the #EndSARS protests, which ravaged its records and information. This incident particularly targeted the historic Lagos High Court at Igbosere, resulting in the obliteration and disappearance of critical documents and data. It seems that certain aspects of this loss were deliberately orchestrated.

Any progress made in recovering data today can largely be credited to the partial digital conversion of records via the Digital Information Litigation (DIL) system, which began in 2013," he explained. "Nevertheless, the judicial framework in Lagos continues to grapple with this challenging circumstance.

The OSJRP boss noted that a robust data protection framework in the justice sector would prevent loss of critical legal records due to human error, cyberattacks, or infrastructural failures, improve efficiency by enabling quick retrieval of case files, reducing case backlog and adjournments, enhance transparency and accountability by ensuring that court records are tamper-proof and easily auditable and secure personal data of litigants, lawyers, and justice sector workers, reducing risks of identity theft and data breaches.

He lamented that despite the passage of the Nigerian Data Protection Act 2023, robust data protection measures within the judicial system remain inadequate, as court operations continue to rely heavily on paper records.

He expressed worry that electronic case management is still in its infancy. At the same time, judicial processes have even become more cumbersome and prone to manipulation due to the slow adoption of automated court systems and secure data backup protocols.

The group advocated the full implementation of digital case management systems across all levels of the judiciary and regular data backups of judicial records to prevent losses that could delay justice delivery.

It further recommended adopting cloud-based and secure offline storage solutions for legal documents, stronger enforcement of Nigeria’s Data Protection Act within the justice sector, and capacity-building programs for judicial officers on data protection best practices.

Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. ( Syndigate.info ).