The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has called on the Judiciary to justify the recent improvement in its remuneration.

In a statement signed by the NBA president, Senior Advocate of Nigeria Yakubu Maikyau, the association noted that the judiciary must make a deliberate and conscious effort to work back into the hearts of Nigerians and revive public confidence in that arm of government.

While applauding the efforts that went into enacting the Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, Etc) Act, 2024, the NBA also called on the National and State Houses of Assembly to seriously consider the inclusion of Magistrates within the definition of Judicial Officers in the Constitution in the ongoing Constitutional review.

“The Magistrates across the Country are responsible for the handling of most criminal matters at the lower level of the society, and the institution of the magistracy across the states needs to be strengthened and better funded, to help improve grassroots justice delivery and curb the menace of criminal activities in our society”.

Also, other Judiciary staff; Registrars, Legal Assistants and other court workers, must similarly be catered for, if the improvement of the welfare of Justices and Judges is to make any meaningful impact on the overall justice delivery process in the courts”.

The association says going forward, the focus of the NBA will be on identifying and responding to issues that are fundamental to the continued strengthening of the judiciary.

These include matters of appointment, discipline and elevation of judicial officers. The need to strengthen judicial oversight bodies is no less important.

The NBA President also expressed confidence that his successor, Afam Osigwe, the NBA president-elect, will prioritise the issues when he takes office later this month.

Last week, President Bola Tinubu signed the Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, Etc. Act 2024 into law raising judges’ earnings by as much as 300 per cent.

In his inaugural address as president of the bar on August 26, 2022, Maikyau had said thus: “My administration will not only continue with the actions which seek essentially to protect the dignity of the judiciary for proper discharge of its constitutional functions and duties, we will seek engagement with government and other stakeholders in ensuring that immediate measures are taken to guarantee proper remuneration for Judges and Justices in service and for their comfort upon retirement.”

In line with this inaugural pledge, the NBA President said his administration embarked on a vigorous advocacy and campaign for the upward review of the remuneration of judicial officers.

“By the grace of God Almighty, and without any intention of sounding immodest, we successfully undertook this task which culminated into the enactment of the Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, Etc) Act, 2024, which was a product of constructive engagement with all the arms of Government”.

“We, therefore, congratulate the Nigerian Judiciary and the entire legal profession, on the coming into effect of the Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, Etc) Act, 2024, by the assent of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, on 9 August 2024”.

“This is a historic and truly remarkable achievement, seeing as previous successive administrations have repeatedly neglected the Judiciary”.

“The last time the salaries and allowances of Judicial officers were reviewed was in the year 2007. It is also a landmark achievement for the tenure of Honourable Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, GCON, as Chief Justice of Nigeria, who shall exit office on 22 August 2024. To the Glory of God Almighty, I, too, have the privilege of sharing in this, as I exit office as the 31st President of the Nigerian Bar Association, seven days later, on 29 August 2024”.

“We must appreciate the leadership of the 10th National Assembly for their cooperation in expediting action on the Bill. The support and contribution by the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation, Prince Lateef O. Fagbemi, SAN, in getting the Bill passed into Law is invaluable.

“The Legal Profession is blessed to have an HAGF in Prince Fagbemi, SAN, who has demonstrated genuine passion for the reform of the justice sector and the improvement of the independence and welfare of judicial office holders, for the good of the people. This passion found alignment with the willingness of President Tinubu, GCFR, leading to his assent to the Bill passed by the National Assembly”.

“The NBA Advocacy for the review of salaries and allowances of Judicial Officers and other Justice sector reform initiatives of the NBA, was driven by Mr Olawale Fapohunda, SAN, former Attorney General Ekiti State and Chairman, NBA Law Reform Committee. He literally had everyone (including myself), who had anything to do with this subject on their toes – from the Senate, House of Representatives, the National Judicial Council, particularly, the Executive Secretary, Mr Gambo Saleh, who we “harassed” on this matter. My Personal Executive Secretary, Chinaecherem Nwaubani, almost took a leave of absence, due to Mr Fapohunda’s call for work on this review. She was, as with other assignments she handled in my office, simply amazing”.

“We appreciate their commitment and selfless service to the Bar. Honourable Justice Bode Rhodes Vivour, CFR, JSC (Rtd); Hon. Justice Monica Dongbam-Mensem, President of the Court of Appeal; Hon. Justice A. D. Yahaya JCA (Rtd); Hon Justice B. B. Kanyip, PhD, President of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria; and Hon Justice Kashim Zannah, Chief Judge of Borno State, have been of tremendous guidance and support in the course of this exercise”.

“They provided perspectives from the judiciary which helped in our overall understanding of the history/antecedents of judicial remuneration, and that greatly helped in developing the strategy for our advocacy”.

“We acknowledge and appreciate their immense support for our advocacy. We must equally place on record the cooperation we received from Mallam Mohammed Bello, the Executive Chairman of Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, (RMAFC), who during our meeting at his office, exhibited great understanding of the working condition of Judicial Officers and expressed sympathy for their plight, given the meagre salary and allowance they have been subjected to for decades.”

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