In an unprecedented move to tackle mounting delays in Nigeria’s appellate system, the Court of Appeal has deployed 40 justices to Lagos for a special sitting aimed at clearing a backlog of appeals, with 360 cases listed for hearing before 16 panels.
The special session, which began on Monday, is part of activities marking the Court of Appeal’s 50th anniversary and reflects what the court described as a deliberate and sustained effort to improve efficiency in the administration of justice.
Presiding over the session, the President of the Court of Appeal (PCA), Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, said Lagos—Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre—generates an unusually heavy volume of litigation, making proactive intervention necessary to ease congestion and reduce prolonged delays.
According to her, the 16 panels were constituted from justices drawn from different divisions of the Court of Appeal across the country. The panels will sit throughout the week at both the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal and the National Industrial Court Complex.
Justice Dongban-Mensem noted that the exercise required significant institutional sacrifice, as several divisions across the country were left with reduced judicial strength to ensure the success of the Lagos sitting. She urged legal practitioners to treat the exercise with seriousness and ensure that all appeals scheduled for hearing were fully prepared.
Recalling a previous special sitting where several cases could not proceed due to poor preparation by counsel, the PCA warned against unnecessary delays, stressing that the exercise was strictly for work and not a ceremonial or leisure engagement.
“This sitting is not a vacation. It is a deliberate effort to work,” she said, urging lawyers to carefully review their court processes and eliminate any defects capable of stalling proceedings.
Justice Dongban-Mensem also commended the Lagos State Government, particularly the Office of the Attorney-General, for providing critical logistical support, noting that the court’s limited resources would not have been sufficient to accommodate the large number of justices deployed for the exercise.
She further acknowledged the National Industrial Court for making available courtroom facilities and residential accommodation for the visiting justices, describing the collaboration as a reflection of collective goodwill within the judiciary.
Recalling a previous special sitting where several cases could not proceed due to poor preparation by counsel, the PCA warned against unnecessary delays, stressing that the exercise was strictly for work and not a ceremonial or leisure engagement.
“This sitting is not a vacation. It is a deliberate effort to work,” she said, urging lawyers to carefully review their court processes and eliminate any defects capable of stalling proceedings.
Justice Dongban-Mensem also commended the Lagos State Government, particularly the Office of the Attorney-General, for providing critical logistical support, noting that the court’s limited resources would not have been sufficient to accommodate the large number of justices deployed for the exercise.
She further acknowledged the National Industrial Court for making available courtroom facilities and residential accommodation for the visiting justices, describing the collaboration as a reflection of collective goodwill within the judiciary.
