• AGF reaffirms FG’s commitment to judicial reform
• Cautions govs over LG autonomy judgment

Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, having attained the mandatory retirement age of 70, retired yesterday as the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) with a call for measures to reduce the burden on the Supreme Court.

President Bola Tinubu is set to swear in Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun as the new CJN today. He congratulated Ariwoola, whose stint in the judiciary he described as a “successful public service career,” commending him for his services to the nation.

“The President will swear in Justice Ariwoola’s successor at the State House Council Chambers on August 23, 2024,” said his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale.

At a special valedictory session in his honour at the Supreme Court in Abuja, yesterday, the outgoing CJN emphasised the necessity of increasing the number of judges, and that fair hearing could not be guaranteed with few judges hearing many cases.

According to Ariwoola there are too many cases before the apex court, which ought to have terminated at the appellate court.

Speaking on the Supreme Court’s workload, he noted that 1,124 cases were filed in the 2023/2024 legal year, which commenced in September 2023 and ended in July 2024.

Of these, he noted, we’re 435 civil cases, 269 civil motions, 219 criminal cases and 102 criminal motions.

He added that although the year was not an election year, 89 political appeals were filed at the apex court, along with 10 originating summons.

Ariwoola said, “During the same period, we delivered 248 judgments and rulings, with 92 judgments in civil and originating summons cases, 81 judgments in criminal appeals and 74 judgments in political appeals.”

He said limited access to justices contributed largely to the delay in the hearing of cases, as litigants and lawyers were forced to wait for several years to have their cases decided.

In his speech, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s unwavering commitment to overhauling the country’s justice sector.

The AGF outlined the government’s plans to introduce significant changes, emphasising that these efforts aim to reposition the country’s justice system as a global leader in legal excellence.

The AGF noted President Bola Tinubu’s approval of a 300 per cent salary increase for judicial officers, a move designed to enhance judicial independence and ensure justice is not just delivered but also perceived as fair and effective.

This, the AGF assured, is part of a broader strategy to remove obstacles hindering the modernisation and efficiency of the justice sector.

He also used the opportunity to address the economic hardship across the country that protests recently, expressing the government’s appreciation for the resilience of Nigerians.

Fagbemi assured that the ongoing difficulties were temporary, as the government’s economic policies would soon bear fruit, ushering in an era of prosperity and development.

Reaffirming the government’s dedication to protecting the rights of citizens, he warned against unconstitutional attempts to change the government.

The AGF praised the Supreme Court’s landmark judgment that liberated Nigeria’s local councils from years of stagnation and oppression.

Urging compliance with the judgment, he cautioned against any act that could be construed as contempt of court.

The justice minister called on law enforcement agencies to ensure that local councils utilise their allocations for development, warning that misappropriation of funds would be met with severe consequences.