From Aminu Dalhatu (Kaduna)
Kaduna State Government has called for the decentralization of the judiciary due to the heavy caseload of High Court Judges in the State which hinders the administration of justice.
Governor Nasiru Elrufai stated this when the National President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr Olumide Akpata paid him a courtesy visit at government house, kaduna.
Governor El Rufai argued that, decentralizing the judiciary would be in the interest of administration of justice, stressing that, it will also give more opportunities for qualified lawyers in the private and public sectors as well as the academia to be part of the judiciary.
Malam Elrufai said on average, a High Court judge in Kaduna state is handling about 250 cases.
He emphasized the need for the National Judicial Council (NJC) to double the number of High Court judges in Kaduna State to reduce case load to about 100 per judge, stressing that, it was still too high.
“We are pushing for the creation of State Judicial Councils that will handle the appointment of High Court judges in the states, because that is the only way that we will be able to take our fates in our hands”
“I believe that we have enough lawyers in the public and private sectors in Kaduna state, to get 20 judges tomorrow, if the State Judicial Council screens them and makes their recommendations. But we are constitutionally constrained as speak.’’
The governor expressed happiness that, the National Assembly has started the process of trying to remove the bottleneck and urged the Nigerian Bar Association to openly support it.
The President Nigeria Bar Association, Olumide Akpata said they were at government house to solicit the support of the state government to improve the Welfare of their members and capacity building training.