Appeal Court Marks 50th Anniversary with Special Sitting to Clear 360 Appeals in Lagos

• Deploys 40 Justices, 16 panels to tackle backlog

Wale Igbintade

The President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, yesterday presided over a special sitting in Lagos, during which she announced that 360 appeals have been scheduled for hearing before 16 panels comprising 40 Justices, in a concerted effort to reduce the court’s growing backlog of cases.

The special sitting, held in Lagos, the city where the Court of Appeal was originally established, forms part of activities marking the court’s golden jubilee, its 50th anniversary.

Justice Dongban-Mensem said the exercise reflects the court’s sustained commitment to improving efficiency in the administration of justice by directly addressing the rising volume of appeals across its divisions.

She noted that Lagos, as Nigeria’s commercial hub, naturally bears a disproportionate appellate workload, making deliberate intervention unavoidable.

“It has become timely and necessary for the court to take conscious and deliberate measures to address the increasing docket of appeals,” she said.

According to her, 16 panels made up of 40 Justices drawn from various divisions of the Court of Appeal nationwide have been constituted to sit throughout the week in Lagos and at the National Industrial Court.

The Court of Appeal President expressed gratitude to the Lagos State Government, particularly the Office of the Attorney-General, as well as the National Industrial Court, for their logistical and institutional support.

“I wish to express our profound appreciation to the Office of the Attorney-General of Lagos for collaborating with the court to ensure this exercise holds. Without this support, our limited resources would not have been sufficient to accommodate the number of Justices present,” she said.

She also acknowledged the consistent support of the National Industrial Court in providing courtrooms and residential accommodation for the visiting Justices.

Justice Dongban-Mensem urged lawyers and litigants to ensure that their appeals were ripe for hearing and cautioned against avoidable delays.

She recalled a previous special sitting where several appeals could not be heard due to lack of preparation by counsel.

“It was very painful for me because our limited resources had already been expended on air tickets, accommodation and logistics, yet many appeals could not be taken because counsel were not ready,” she said.

While noting Lagos’s appeal as a destination, she emphasised that the special sitting was strictly for judicial work.

“When we set out time to work, we want to work. This is not a vacation,” she said.

She further disclosed that several divisions of the Court of Appeal were temporarily left with fewer Justices due to the deployment to Lagos and appealed to members of the Bar to take the exercise seriously in recognition of that sacrifice.

Justice Dongban-Mensem also called on lawyers, litigants and the media to help safeguard public confidence in the judiciary, warning that erosion of trust in the justice system could foster lawlessness.

She stressed that justice depends on credible evidence and active participation by all stakeholders, noting that judges and law enforcement agencies rely on accurate information to function effectively.

She urged journalists to prioritise accuracy in reporting judicial proceedings and to seek clarification where necessary to avoid misinformation.

In her closing remarks, the Court of Appeal President called on all stakeholders to uphold integrity and professionalism as the court marks its golden jubilee, stressing that justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done.

Speaking on behalf of the Bar, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, described the special sitting as historic and commended Justice Dongban-Mensem for the initiative.

He assured the court of the Bar’s cooperation in ensuring speedy and expeditious hearings, noting that this was in the interest of both lawyers and their clients.

Adegboruwa also congratulated the Court of Appeal on its 50th anniversary, praising its contributions to the administration of justice over the years.

However, he drew attention to persistent funding and infrastructure challenges facing the judiciary and expressed hope that ongoing efforts to improve facilities at the Lagos Division would soon be realised.