Despite the introduction of an online affidavit system in the FCT High Court, challenges persist, leaving many users frustrated and vulnerable to exploitation. The reporter investigates the system's shortcomings and the impact on those seeking to access essential legal documents.
From the comfort of his office in Abuja, Igho Ogedegbe, a lawyer, successfully applied for an affidavit of loss of phone/SIM pack online — a significant improvement over the cumbersome manual process he had endured earlier in his legal career. While he appreciated the convenience, the requirement to visit the court to finalise the process left him disappointed. It seemed to undermine the system’s time-saving promise.
“Obtaining the affidavit from the court was not only a waste of my time but also incurred additional expenses. This inconvenience could have been avoided if I had been able to access a soft copy of the affidavit online,” the lawyer said. An affidavit is a sworn statement in writing, made under oath or affirmation before an authorised legal officer, used in court proceedings or for other official purposes. Historically, the process of obtaining an affidavit has been fraught with challenges, including delays, extortion, and even impersonation of commissioners for oaths.To address these issues, the federal capital territory (FCT) high court introduced the Affidavit Registry Management System (ARMS) in 2022. The initiative aimed to make affidavit applications more accessible and efficient within the FCT. According to the 2023 updated practice direction on e-affidavit, issued by Husseini Yusuf, chief judge of the FCT high court, the system was established to ensure “transparency, efficiency, and speed in the issuance of affidavits, in compliance with global best practices”. It also sought to “protect litigants and court users from touts and fraudsters, and reduce delays and expenses”.The e-affidavit process is relatively straightforward. It begins by creating an account on the ARMS portal using your personal details. You will need a passport photograph for upload. Then you choose the type of affidavit you need from the drop-down menu and select your preferred judicial circuit or location. You’ll be provided with a template to customise with your details. After editing and reviewing, submit the application for approval. Despite its streamlined steps, the process still requires deponents to appear in court for signing and printing, defeating the system’s goal of saving time and cost.To assess public awareness of the e-affidavit system, this reporter visited the FCT high court in Maitama. Despite prominent banners advertising the service, many deponents were unaware they could complete the process online.“It was only when I got here that I saw the ARMS banners and links,” said Rose Gideon, a deponent applying for a correction of name. When this reporter attempted to request an affidavit manually, the fee charged was N2,050, but no official receipt was issued — a subtle indication of the system’s persisting loopholes. For some users, like 37-year-old Serah Luke, a lack of familiarity with the system left her vulnerable to exploitation.Luke, a cleaner and mother of three, had struggled for seven years to access her Polaris Bank account due to discrepancies in her identification documents. Determined to fix the issue before the festive season, she visited the court in Maitama to apply for an affidavit of reconciliation of name. “I missed out on a lot of good things and monetary gifts because I could not use my account,” Luke said in a blend of English and Nigerian Pidgin.Unfamiliar with the process, she was approached by a court official at the gate who offered to help for a fee of N5,000. “Immediately I got to the gate, a man, who I think is a security guard, asked me some questions. Then he said I should bring N5,000, which I gave him in cash. He snapped my national ID card, collected my passport photo, and went inside, leaving me at the car park,” she explained.Although she owned a smartphone, it was a recent gift from a client after her old phone malfunctioned. Her limited digital literacy left her unable to navigate the online system on her own. At the FCT high court in Kubwa, a staff member seated at the court’s entrance informed this reporter that processing an affidavit would cost ₦3,000. However, the staff added, “There’s no light here. Go to the other court at FO1, near Living Faith Church. They’ll attend to you there.” Following the suggestion, this reporter proceeded to the magistrate court in Dutse. Upon arrival, a number was issued, and I joined a queue of deponents. Many appeared visibly frustrated, some lamenting that they had been waiting for over three hours. After waiting for more than an hour, one of the three staff members handling affidavits called four deponents into his office. Unlike officials at the other courts, this staff member took the time to guide deponents through the process of creating accounts on the e-affidavit portal. However, he did not provide guidance on how to complete the payment. When it was time for payment, the staff member collected the deponents’ phones and handed them to Salihu Nurudeen, a middle-aged man assisting with affidavit processing.
E-Affidavit Nigeria FCT High Court Affidavit Registry Management System Legal System Accessibility Transparency Corruption
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