30,179 new cases filed in FCT within 12 months worrisome – Chief Judge

… says rising litigation requires urgent attention

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

ABUJA — The Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Justice Husseini Baba-Yusuf, disclosed on Wednesday that 30,179 new cases were recorded within the court’s jurisdiction over the past year.

According to him, 6,727 of the new cases were filed at the High Court’s registry, a staggering 23,200 were lodged in the Magistrate Courts, and the Abuja Multi-Door Courthouse (AMDC) received 252 new cases.

The CJ said he was delighted that the High Court had successfully disposed of 5,625 of the cases before it, while the Magistrate Courts decided 19,292 cases and the AMDC disposed of 195.

“The workload indicates that the challenge of pending cases in this jurisdiction, where the demand for justice is rising with each passing day, requires sustained attention.

“To address this, the High Court has started the process of appointing additional judges.

“Efforts are also in place to build upon the work already undertaken, improve the consistency of our case-management systems and strengthen the quality and timeliness of judicial service delivery,” the FCT CJ added.

He spoke at a special court session held to flag off the 2026/2027 legal year of the FCT Judiciary.

Justice Baba-Yusuf said the court had, within the period under review, placed considerable emphasis on capacity building for judicial officers at all levels and other court staff, adding that facilities were renovated across all Divisions of the Court.

“In our pursuit of an innovative and technologically driven justice system, two Magistrate Courts in Wuse Zone 2 have been digitized, and plans are already at an advanced stage to expand this initiative,” he added.

The CJ stressed that, while acknowledging the achievements, the court must remain honest about the challenges it is facing.

“The continuing volume of new filings, the stock of pending cases, the need for additional personnel, the maintenance of infrastructure and the demands of digital transformation all require sustained attention.

“The figures presented earlier show that our courts continue to operate under considerable pressure. The response must therefore be deliberate, coordinated and measurable.

“Institutional reform succeeds through the daily care with which responsibilities are discharged. This therefore calls for strengthening the discipline of case management, improving the accuracy of judicial statistics, monitoring the age of pending cases and encouraging timely compliance with procedural requirements.

“To this end, I call upon our staff to approach change with professionalism and a readiness to learn.

“I also call on our stakeholders to support the infrastructure, resources and safeguards required for sustainable improvement, with full respect for judicial independence,” Justice Baba-Yusuf stated.

Meanwhile, in his address at the occasion, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, while applauding the court for the successes it recorded in the preceding year, urged it to continue administering justice fairly and without delay.

Fagbemi, whose speech was read by Mr. Tijjani Gazali, SAN, said there was a need for improved utilization of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms to settle some of the disputes that overburden the court.

“Arbitration and mediation should be embraced where suitable, particularly in disputes that can be settled amicably,” the AGF added, saying lawyers must assist the court in exploring practical measures to reduce the number of cases that reach it.

Besides, the AGF drew the court’s attention to the provisions of Section 294(1) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which he said requires judges to deliver judgments in writing not later than 90 days after parties have adopted their written addresses.

He added that the same section made it compulsory for a certified copy of a judgment to be made available to parties within seven days of its delivery.

The AGF regretted that, despite the clear provision of the law, there have been a plethora of complaints from aggrieved litigants whose bids to appeal adverse judgments appeared to be frustrated by the failure of courts to give them timely access to copies of the judgments.

He said the Federal Government is ready to support efforts to modernize the operations of the court to enhance access to justice for citizens.