In a major push to decongest the courts, the Court of Appeal has mobilised a significant number of its justices to Nigeria's economic capital. A total of 40 justices have been deployed to Lagos for a special session dedicated to hearing a backlog of appeals.
Massive Deployment to Tackle Lagos Workload
The President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, presided over the opening of the special session on Monday. She stated that the initiative underscores the court's deliberate and sustained commitment to improving the efficiency of justice administration. She identified Lagos, as the nation's commercial nerve centre, for carrying a particularly heavy appellate workload, which necessitates proactive steps to reduce delays.
For this exercise, 16 panels have been constituted, drawing the 40 justices from various divisions of the Court of Appeal across Nigeria. The special sitting will run throughout the week in Lagos, with hearings also scheduled to take place at the premises of the National Industrial Court.
Sacrifice, Preparedness, and a Warning Against Delays
Justice Dongban-Mensem acknowledged that the deployment demanded considerable sacrifice, as several regular court divisions were left with fewer justices to ensure the success of the Lagos mission. She made a direct appeal to lawyers to treat the exercise with the utmost seriousness and to come fully prepared for their scheduled hearings.
The court president recalled a previous special sitting where numerous appeals could not be heard due to the lack of preparedness by legal counsel. She sternly warned against such unnecessary delays, emphasising that the assignment was strictly for work and should not be mistaken for a vacation.
Logistical Support and Broader Judicial Concerns
Justice Dongban-Mensem commended the Lagos State Government, specifically the Office of the Attorney-General, for providing crucial logistical support. She admitted that the court's own limited resources would have been insufficient to accommodate such a large deployment of justices. She also thanked the National Industrial Court for providing courtroom facilities and residential accommodation for the visiting justices.
Beyond the immediate goal of case management, the Appeal Court President cautioned against any actions that could erode public confidence in the judiciary. She warned that a loss of faith in the justice system could potentially lead to lawlessness in society.
Speaking on behalf of the Nigerian Bar, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, described the special sitting as a historic and unprecedented event for the Lagos Bar. He assured the court of the Bar's full cooperation to ensure speedy and efficient hearings, noting that it was in the best interest of both lawyers and their clients.
Adegboruwa also used the opportunity to congratulate the Court of Appeal on its golden jubilee. He highlighted the persistent funding and infrastructure challenges facing the judiciary and pledged the continued collaboration of the Bar with the Bench to strengthen the entire justice system.
