Lagos CJ seeks synergy between lawyers and judiciary to restore public confidence 

 

The Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Kazeem Alogba, has stressed the need for what he termed greater synergy between the judiciary and legal practitioners to address the growing issue of frivolous cases. 

Speaking at a cocktail event which was held at the Nigerian Law School, Lagos, to welcome lawyers across the country to the Nigerian Bar Association 2024 Annual General Conference, Justice Alogba equally stressed the need to restore public confidence in the judiciary by curbing unnecessary litigation that clogs the court system and delays the delivery of justice.

The Lagos CJ insisted that frivolous cases waste the time of the court and erode public trust in the judiciary’s ability to deliver timely and fair justice. 

Justice Alogba called on legal practitioners to exercise more discretion in the cases they bring to court and ensure that only those with substantial legal merit proceed.

In his words: “This approach would help to reduce the backlog of cases, improve efficiency, and enhance the judiciary’s credibility.

“This appeal is in line with broader judicial reforms being advocated across Nigeria, including the adoption of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms to handle less complex cases.”

The President of the NBA, Yakubu Mikyau (SAN), in his remarks, begged legal luminaries to protect the sanctity of the judiciary as the last hope of the common man. 

Mikyau (SAN) further stressed the imperatives for lawyers to uphold ethical standards, avoid frivolous cases, and work towards a more equitable and accessible justice system. 

The NBA President declared that his appeal became necessary with broader efforts by the NBA, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Justice and the National Judicial Council (NJC) to restore public confidence in the judiciary and ensure that it functions as a fair and reliable institution for all Nigerians.