Appeal Court marks 50 years with special Lagos sitting, takes on 360 backlog cases

The Court of Appeal on Monday commenced a special sitting in Lagos, listing 360 cases for hearing as part of efforts to enhance efficiency and reduce the growing backlog of appeals across its divisions.

The President of the Court of Appeal (PCA), Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, said the special session was organised to mark the court’s 50th anniversary and demonstrated the judiciary’s commitment to timely justice delivery and institutional efficiency.

She explained that the initiative was a deliberate response to severe docket congestion, particularly in the Lagos Division, noting that Lagos, as Nigeria’s commercial hub, generates heavy litigation.

According to Dongban-Mensem, the special sitting would also give justices from other divisions the opportunity to gain exposure to the wide range of cases typically handled in Lagos.

For the exercise, the Court constituted 16 panels made up of 40 justices drawn from various divisions of the Court of Appeal.

The panels are expected to sit for one week, with sessions holding at the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal and the National Industrial Court Complex.

She said the arrangement was aimed at ensuring optimal use of judicial facilities and resources, while maximizing the court’s capacity to dispense justice efficiently.

The PCA thanked the Lagos Division for providing court facilities and accommodation for visiting justices, describing the gesture as a reflection of cooperation and goodwill within the Court of Appeal.

“We are grateful for the benevolence extended to us, and we hope the court will soon be able to extend similar goodwill to other institutions,” she said.

Justice Dongban-Mensem further disclosed that 26 appeals, all ripe for hearing, had been listed before the 16 panels constituted for the special sitting.

She urged counsel and litigants to take full advantage of the exercise by ensuring their court processes were properly prepared and free of defects capable of delaying proceedings.

“If anything in your process could delay the hearing of an appeal, please take steps to remove it,” she advised.