Appeal Court holds special sitting, hears 360 cases in Lagos

The Court of Appeal in Lagos on Monday began a special sitting, listing 360 cases for hearing to boost 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 session was part of activities marking the 50th anniversary of the appellate court.

She said the initiative underscored the judiciary’s commitment to timely justice delivery and enhanced institutional efficiency.

Dongban-Mensem, said the exercise was a deliberate step to address docket congestion, particularly at the Lagos division.

She said that Lagos, as the nation’s commercial hub, generated heavy litigation, making it necessary for the court to adopt innovative measures to decongest dockets and ensure timely justice delivery.

According to her, the special sitting also provides justices from other divisions with the opportunity to gain exposure to the diverse range of cases typically handled by the Lagos division.

She said that, for the exercise, the court constituted 16 panels comprising 40 justices drawn from various divisions of the court of appeal.

The judge said the panels would sit for one week, with some sessions held at the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal and others at the National Industrial Court Complex.

Dongban-Mensem said the arrangement was designed to ensure optimal utilisation of available judicial facilities and resources, while maximising the court’s capacity to dispense justice efficiently.

She thanked the Lagos division for accommodating visiting justices with court facilities and housing, describing the gesture as a reflection of collective goodwill and cooperation 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.

The PCA further disclosed 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 parties to fully utilise the exercise by ensuring 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,” Dongban-Mensem said.