In civil cases, the ultimate burden of establishing a case is as disclosed on the pleadings. The person who would lose the case if on completion of pleadings and no evidence is led on either side has the general burden of proof. See Elemo & Ors. v. Omolade & Ors (1968) NMLR 359. See also section 137(1) of the Evidence Act.
— O. Ogwuegbu, JSC. Uzokwe v. Densy Industries Nig. Ltd. & Anor. (2002) – SC.134/1999
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An issue may then be raised as to whether the non-filing of the Respondent’s Brief of Argument will make the Appellants appeal to succeed. All the some, the non-filing of the Brief of Argument in respect of this appeal by the Respondent to the issues ventilated by the Appellant in his Brief of Argument does not mean that it is a work-over for the Appellant. The Appellant still has to justify the appeal against the judgment or decision of the Learned trial Judge based on the strength of his case as borne and by the Records of appeal in this matter. The failure of a Respondent to file a reply Brief is immaterial. This is because an Appellant will succeed on the strength of his own case. But a Respondent will be deemed to have admitted the truth of everything stated in the Appellant’s Brief in so far as such is borne out by the Records. In other words, it is not automatic. An Appellant must succeed or fall on his own Brief.
– P.O. Elechi, JCA. Emori v. Egwu (2016) – CA/C/259/2013
There is no doubt that in civil matters, the onus of proof shifts as the evidence preponderates. I need to say here that a Plaintiff, as the Respondent herein, must succeed on the strength of his own case and not on the weakness of the defence … The rule however changes if the Plaintiff finds in the evidence of the defence facts which strengthen his own case. Where the exception has not happened, the Plaintiff’s case must fail. See Ezekiel Oyinloye v. Babalola Esinkin & Ors. (1999) 5 SCNJ Pg. 278 at 288; Akande v. Adisa & Anor. (2012) 15 NWLR Pt. 1324 Pg. 538 SC; Omoregie v. Aiwerioghene (1994) 1 NWLR Pt. 318 at 488.
— H.M. Ogunwumiju, JCA. First Bank v Oronsaye (2019) – CA/B/335/13
OKOYE & ORS v. NWANKWO (2014) LPELR-23172 (SC) wherein Per Peter-Odili, JSC opined thus: “Burden of proof is two-fold. The first is the ability of the Plaintiff to establish and prove the entire or reasonable portion of his case before a Court of law that can give judgment in his favour. This is always constantly on the Plaintiff. The other type is related to particular facts or issues which a party claims exist. It is this burden of proof that oscillates from one party to the other. While the first type of burden of proof is called legal burden of the burden of establishing a case, the second one is called evidential”.
In FEMI FALANA & ANOR V REPUBLIC OF BENIN & 2 ORS (2012) ECW/CCJ/JUD/02/12 PG. 34, the court held that: “As always, the onus of proof is on a party who asserts a fact and who will fail if that fact fails to attain that standard of proof that will persuade the court to believe the statement of the claim”. Vide SIKIRU ALADE VS FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA (2012) ECW/CCJ/JUD/10/12. PARA 48.
In civil cases the burden of first proving the existence or non-existence of a fact lies on the party against whom the judgment of the court would be given if no evidence were produced on either side, regard being had to any presumption that may arise on the pleadings.
– Niki Tobi, JSC. Calabar CC v. Ekpo (2008)
The level of proof needed in the circumstances of this case is as per the required standard of proof in civil case, it is a cardinal principle of law that civil cases are decided on the preponderance of evidence and balance of probabilities. See the cases of Emeka v. Chuba- Ikpeazu and Ors., (2017) 15 NWLR (Pt. 1583) 345, A.B.C. (Transport Company) Ltd. v. Miss Bimmi Omotoye (2019) LPELR-47829 (SC).
— S.J. Adah, JCA. Luck Guard v. Adariku (2022) – CA/A/1061/2020
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