The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Olukayode Ariwoola, has expressed deep concern over the increasing number of legal cases in the country. During the swearing-in ceremony of nine justices of the court of appeal in Abuja, he highlighted that this surge in litigation could be attributed to a combination of factors.
Ariwoola acknowledged that the rise in court cases is partly due to the commission of various new crimes, which have added to the workload of the judicial system. Additionally, he emphasized that political disputes have had a substantial impact on court dockets throughout the nation.
In his address, Ariwoola stated, “Today’s ceremony is an indication of the times that we are currently in. Several novel crimes are being committed in the country that has now made litigations go on a steady rise. Political cases, especially, are taking a monumental toll on our dockets.”
He went on to express his concern about the challenging circumstances that the Nigerian judiciary is currently facing, emphasizing that no court in the country has been immune to this trend. As a result, the caseload for judges continues to grow, reflecting the evolving challenges of the era.
The Chief Justice lamented that this situation has positioned Nigeria among countries with a high volume of legal cases worldwide. This underscores the need for comprehensive reforms and strategies to address the increasing burden on the nation’s judicial system.