Monday, June 16, 2025 - The Nigerian Senate is deliberating on a bill to increase the number of justices on the Supreme Court from 21 to 30, in a bid to address the mounting backlog of cases and improve the delivery of justice.
Senator Osita Izunaso, representing Imo West, disclosed the
proposal during a press briefing in Abuja to mark his second year in the 10th
National Assembly. He noted that although the Supreme Court recently attained
its constitutional quota of 21 justices, following the appointment of 11 new
members in 2023, the current number is still insufficient to meet the growing
demands on the court.
“Even with the full complement of 21 justices, the Supreme
Court is overwhelmed,” Izunaso said. “The volume of cases reaching the court
daily is alarming. Some litigants are being given hearing dates as far ahead as
2027 and 2028.”
The senator explained that increasing the number of justices
would enable the court to sit in more panels, thereby accelerating case
hearings. “Supreme Court justices typically sit in panels of five, or seven for
constitutional matters. If we have 30 justices, it allows the formation of at
least five panels simultaneously. That way, more cases can be handled at a
faster pace,” he said.
Izunaso also advocated for reforms to limit the types of
cases that reach the apex court. He questioned why relatively minor cases, such
as land disputes or tenancy issues, are allowed to escalate to the highest
judicial level.
“Why should a land matter in my village end up in the
Supreme Court?” he asked. “Many of these issues should start from the customary
court and end at the high court. The apex court should be reserved for cases of
national or constitutional importance — terrorism, homicide, grand corruption.”
He cited examples of tenancy and family disputes reaching
the Supreme Court, describing the trend as a systemic failure that clogs the
judiciary and delays justice in more pressing matters. He recounted a case that
had been resolved by families of deceased litigants but was still listed for
Supreme Court hearing in 2026.
While rejecting the notion of establishing regional supreme
courts, Izunaso stressed the importance of a single, centralized apex court to
maintain the unity and sanctity of Nigeria’s judicial system. “What we need is
better filtration at a lower level, not more supreme courts,” he said.
The senator also noted that the red chamber is considering a
bill for the creation of Anim State in the South-East geopolitical zone, which
has passed second reading and is currently under review by the Senate Committee
on Constitution Review.
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