Senate considers raising Supreme Court judges to 30

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The Nigerian Senate is considering a legislative proposal that would increase the number of Supreme Court Justices from the current 21 to 30 in a bid to tackle the mounting backlog of cases and improve the efficiency of the apex court.

Senator Osita Izunaso (Imo West), who is sponsoring the bill, disclosed this during a press briefing in Abuja on Friday to mark his two years in the 10th National Assembly.

He argued that the current number of justices is inadequate, despite the recent appointment of 11 justices in 2023 that finally filled the constitutional quota for the first time in Nigeria’s history.

“Even with the full complement of 21 justices, the Supreme Court is overwhelmed. The volume of cases reaching the court daily is alarming. Some litigants are being given hearing dates as far ahead as 2027 and 2028,” Izunaso stated. Punch