Appeal Court holds special sitting in Lagos, hears 360 cases to cut backlog

By Sodiq Adelakun

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

The President of the Court of Appeal (PCA), Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, said the special sitting was organised as part of activities marking the 50th anniversary of the appellate court.

According to her, the initiative underscores the judiciary’s commitment to timely delivery of justice and improved institutional efficiency.

Justice Dongban-Mensem explained that the exercise was a deliberate response to docket congestion, particularly at the Lagos Division, noting that the state’s status as Nigeria’s commercial hub generates a high volume of litigation.

“Lagos, being the commercial nerve centre of the country, produces heavy litigation. This makes it necessary for the court to adopt innovative measures to decongest our dockets and ensure timely justice delivery,” she said.

She added that the special sitting would also allow justices from other divisions of the Court of Appeal to gain exposure to the wide range of cases typically handled in Lagos.

For the exercise, the PCA disclosed that the court constituted 16 panels made up of 40 justices drawn from different divisions of the Court of Appeal.

She said the panels would sit for one week, with hearings taking place at both the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal and the National Industrial Court Complex.

According to her, the arrangement was designed to ensure optimal utilisation of judicial facilities and resources, while maximising the court’s capacity to dispense justice efficiently.

Justice Dongban-Mensem expressed appreciation to the Lagos Division for accommodating visiting justices with court facilities and housing, describing the gesture as a demonstration of goodwill and cooperation within the court.

“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.

The PCA further revealed that a total of 26 appeals had been listed for hearing before the 16 panels constituted for the special sitting, stressing that all the appeals were ripe for hearing.

She urged counsel and litigants to take full advantage of the exercise by ensuring that their processes were properly prepared and free of defects that could delay proceedings.

“We expect counsel to carefully review their processes before coming to court. If anything in your process could delay the hearing of an appeal, please take steps to remove it,” Justice Dongban-Mensem said.

The special sitting, she noted, forms part of broader efforts by the Court of Appeal to strengthen access to justice and improve the speed and quality of appellate adjudication in Nigeria.