Abuja, NIGERIA — The working conditions of Nigeria’s judicial officers again came to the fore today as a Senior Magistrate in Anambra State was seen being ferried to work on commercial motorcycle popularly called ‘okada.’
The Senior Magistrate (name withheld) who was reportedly heading to Neni Chief Magistrates Court in Anambra State to perform her judicial function. was compelled to ride on the commercial motorcycle as she allegedly does not have any official vehicle attached to her.
Though there has been a clamour for judicial autonomy and better funding of the Judiciary, the challenges in this area persist.
The Anambra State Government had budgeted 2.1% for its Law and justice sector while the social sector accounts for 15.2% of the capital budget size. Sectorial allocation was spread across four broad sectors including the administrative sector, economic sector, law & justice sector, and social sector.
On his part, a Lagos-based senior lawyer noted that the judicial officers in harm’s way, saying: “This is absolute disgrace to the judiciary and what it stands for. It’s not even safe for the Magistrate who sits over matters of criminals daily. The welfare of the Judiciary as an institution ought to have been considered in this administration of an intellect who knows the implication of undermining same.”
Onikepo Braithwaite, in her column ‘The Advocate’, published in ThisDay of 22 Aug 2023 said, “A considerable amount of light has been shed on the plight of judicial officers of superior courts of record, their meagre remuneration and poor conditions of service. However, not much has been said about the even worse conditions of service that judicial officers of the lower (I would rather not use the term ‘inferior’) courts, particularly the Magistrates, are facing.” wrote
Continuing, the Law Editor, said: “Even though the Magistrate Court is not a superior court of record as listed in Section 6(5)(a)-(j) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended in 2023)(the Constitution), nor is it expressly listed by name in the Constitution like the superior courts, it is still recognised in the Constitution, since it is a lower court of record established for a State covered by Section 6(4)(1) & (5)(k) of the Constitution.”
Ms. Braithwaite. “It is time for the State Governors/Governments to therefore, do the needful. The salaries and allowances of Magistrates, are overripe for a healthy upward review. It seems that the Nigerian Magistrates, may be in the category of the worst paid. How can dignity be restored to the Magistracy. when Magistrates ride on okadas and struggle for public.”
As it stands, public affairs commentators and analysts are questioning why the Chief Judge of Anambra and the Governor, including Anambra NBA are insensitive to the plight of these judicial workers or what it implies to the populace.