The National Judicial Council (NJC) has issued a stern warning to judicial officers, particularly lady judges, regarding their performance on the bench, with potential sanctions looming for those who fail to meet the expected standards.
Speaking at the Third Annual National Conference on Judges Performance Evaluation held in Abuja on Tuesday, Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, raised concerns over the growing backlog of cases in the country’s courts.
She stressed the need for improved efficiency in delivering justice, citing that judicial officers who do not rise to the challenge risk facing removal.
Addressing the conference attendees, Justice Kekere-Ekun expressed her dissatisfaction with the sluggish pace at which cases are being resolved.
“As of the 1st quarter of 2024, we had a total of 243,253 cases pending in our Superior Courts of record, excluding the Supreme Court. This total includes 199,747 civil cases and 43,506 criminal cases,” she disclosed.
The Chief Justice underscored that the accumulation of unresolved cases has created a strain on the judiciary, while simultaneously diminishing public confidence in the justice system.
She urged judicial officers to redouble their efforts in delivering timely judgments and warned that the NJC would not hesitate to take punitive measures against those who consistently underperform.
The conference, which focused on evaluating the performance of judges across various courts, highlighted the importance of maintaining judicial integrity and upholding the rights of litigants through prompt case resolutions.
Justice Kekere-Ekun’s remarks serve as a clarion call for judicial reform and accountability in the Nigerian legal system, with the performance of judges, especially lady judges, now under closer scrutiny.
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