The Nigerian Law Society (NLS) has decried the alleged abuse of power by law enforcement agencies and the judiciary.

It traced the root cause to non-transparent appointments.
Setting an agenda for the judiciary and legal profession at a webinar to analyse the October 1 speech of President Bola Tinubu, the meeting recommended that the judiciary should ensure that only the best and experienced are appointed, while ensuring regular training and capacity-building within its structures.

NLS said: “The judiciary should ensure that there are consequences for any disobedience of its orders.”

The body also advocated financial autonomy for the arm of government, noting that the campaign is key to ensuring that the judiciary operates independently, free from undue political and external influences.

The association urged: “It is hoped that the Tinubu administration would achieve this, as it is a panacea to the success of his economic policies.

“A strong and efficient justice framework is the basis of economic growth and stability.”
At the programme, it was resolved that judges at all cadres should return to mainstream practice after retirement so that they can continue to support themselves and families.

It was acknowledged that the welfare of magistrates and judges of the lower courts was dismal, and elevation to the higher bench would have been unnecessary if lower court judges were well remunerated.

NLS noted that it was an embarrassment that judges do not have adequate health insurance, especially after their retirement, urging immediate redress in the face of rising deaths among ex-jurists.

It opposed the establishment of state or regional supreme courts, describing the proposal as dangerous, stating: “We are already suffering from conflicting judgments from the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.”

The organisation resolved that the responsibility of decongesting the court’s dockets lies first with lawyers, while the superior courts should also be bold enough to filter and throw out non-deserving cases, and impose heavy costs on counsel, who abuse the appeals process.