Lagos Deserves Two Court of Appeal Divisions, Says Sanwo-Olu

Lagos Deserves Two Court of Appeal Divisions, Says Sanwo-Olu
Pledges Support for Additional Court of Appeal Division
Praised Justice Dongban-Mensem for what he described as her exemplary leadership, integrity and commitment to strengthening the judiciary

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to supporting the establishment of an additional Court of Appeal Division in Lagos, citing the state’s growing population and expanding commercial activities as reasons for the proposal.

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Eko Hot Blog reports that the governor made the pledge on Monday while receiving the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, and other justices during a courtesy visit at Lagos House, Marina.

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Sanwo-Olu also disclosed that the infrastructure for the proposed Ikeja Division of the Court of Appeal would be completed before February next year.

Lagos Deserves Two Court of Appeal Divisions, Says Sanwo-Olu

He reiterated his administration’s commitment to supporting the judiciary while respecting its constitutional independence.

According to the governor, the Lagos Division remains the oldest and one of the busiest appellate divisions in the country due to the state’s status as Nigeria’s commercial and economic hub.

He noted that the rapid growth of Lagos has placed enormous pressure on all arms of government, including the judiciary, making the creation of another Court of Appeal Division necessary.

“The pressure on Lagos is real because of the volume of commercial and economic activities taking place in the state. We feel it on the executive side, and I am sure the judiciary feels similar pressure.

“You currently have 20 divisions across the country. We believe Lagos deserves two divisions, and we are ready to provide the infrastructure needed to make this a reality because it is the people who will ultimately benefit,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu also praised Justice Dongban-Mensem for what he described as her exemplary leadership, integrity and commitment to strengthening the judiciary.

He commended her earlier decision to deploy additional justices to the Lagos Division for a special sitting, which helped reduce the backlog of pending appeals.

The governor further recalled that the Court of Appeal commenced operations in Lagos in February 1977 and assured that the state would support activities marking its 50th anniversary.

Speaking earlier, Justice Dongban-Mensem thanked the Lagos State Government for its continued support to the Court of Appeal and acknowledged the assistance of the Office of the Attorney-General.

Lagos Deserves Two Court of Appeal Divisions, Says Sanwo-Olu

She explained that the visit formed part of activities commemorating the court’s golden jubilee, noting that Lagos was chosen as the starting point because it is the birthplace of the Court of Appeal.

“We started here in February 1977, and since then the Court of Appeal has expanded from four divisions to 20 divisions across the country. We felt it was only proper to return to Lagos to formally inform the governor about our 50th anniversary activities,” she said.

The Court of Appeal President disclosed that the anniversary celebration would continue throughout the year, beginning with a special court session in Lagos during which several pending appeals were determined.

She also confirmed that discussions on the proposed Ikeja Division were progressing, describing it as a major step towards strengthening the Court of Appeal for the future.

“We are ready to step into the Ikeja Division as we prepare to launch the next 50 years in the history of the Court of Appeal,” she added.

Lagos Deserves Two Court of Appeal Divisions, Says Sanwo-Olu

The visit reaffirmed the long-standing partnership between the Lagos State Government and the Court of Appeal, with both sides expressing commitment to improving judicial administration and expanding access to justice.