Members of the Nigerian Bar Association, (NBA) Lekki Forum has asked the Lagos State government to increase the number of mobile courts and create palace courts to fast track the administration of justice in the state.
According to the Forum during its courtesy call on the Chief Justice and Attorney General of Lagos State, Hon. Justice Opeyemi Oke, Tuesday, the mobile and palace courts will aid speedy judgement delivery and further decongest prisons across the state.
Chairman of the Forum, Aremo Oladotun Hassan, while making recommendations towards the advancement of the state’s judiciary said: “Establishment of mobile court, palace court and police court in all police departments and traditional royal palaces for minor and non-contentious matters will decongest the prisons and reduce unwarranted frivolous matters caused by shady investigations by the police and other domestic matters.”
To combat quackery in the legal provision, the group want accreditation card and code number to be issued to all lawyers practicing in the state.
Meanwhile, the Forum lauded the Lagos CJ for revamping the state’s judiciary and her efforts to sanitize the profession, as well as curb corruption among the members of the bar and the bench.
“We hereby acknowledge your lordship’s landmark achievements towards the overall development, unity and progress of Lagos State judiciary, particularly your Lordship’s undeterred vision on the revamping and commitment towards the noble quest against corruption in the Lagos state judiciary; social welfare of staff and training,” he said.
Hassan appealed to Hon. Justice Oke to officially gazette and recognize the NBA Lekki Forum as a new branch in the Lagos Ajah/Badore Division, by recommending it to NBA National Secretariat to be chartered as a full fledged branch of the NBA.
He further canvassed for the inclusion of the NBA Lekki Forum in the planning and inauguration of the new High/Magistrate Courts in Ajah, Badore court program.
While promising to look into the Forum’s recommendations and requests, Hon. Justice Oke, said: “efforts are ongoing by the state government to ensure the Badore court is completed on time to enable more judges come onboard.
“There are mobile courts in Ikoyi and Kirikiri, but we’ll look into the suggestion of having palace courts and court at the police station to conclude minor cases on time,” she stated.
Frowning at the unnecessary delay witnessed in cases, the Lagos CJ said the new rules will curb the phenomenon as lawyers could be fined up to the tune of N250,000 over frivolous applications leading to unwarranted adjournment and delay.
“60-75% of the delays do come from the members of the bar. This has made the state to have the highest number of old cases in the country,” she said.
Hon. Justice Oke tasked lawyers to take up more cases on pro-bono basis, especially minor cases so as reduce prisons’ congestion in the state.
