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"headline": "Court Congestion and Access to Justice in Nigeria: Cancerous or Curable?",
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"description": "This study explore court congestion in Nigeria\u2019s judicial system, its causes, effects, and socio-political impact. Using doctrinal research, it examines judicia...",
"abstract": "The menace of court congestion is one of the challenges bedeviling the Nigerian Judicial System that calls for concerted efforts among stakeholders in tackling the adverse effect at all levels. Many scholars, judges, lawyers as well as litigants have decried the malady of this cancerous enigma that has eaten deep into the fabric of the Nigerian judicial system. The impact of which is felt in the socio-political realm. Hence, the call for drastic concerted efforts to decongest the courts for the expeditious disposal of cases thereby creates an environment for timely dispensation of justice and economic growth. The paper adopts the doctrinal methodology of research by looking at the opinion of authors, judicial decisions, and opinions as well as some statutes. This paper analyses the concept of court congestion in Nigeria by examining the remote and immediate causes and its effects on the growth of Nigeria into nationhood and made recommendations on the way forward. Consequently, this paper called on all stakeholders in the judicial system to fight against court congestion thereby making for easy, fast, and expeditious dispensation of Justice in Nigeria.",
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"text": "1.\tA Adesomoju, \u20182019/2020 Legal Year: Court Congestion, Top Judiciary\u2019s Concern\u2019 Punch Newspaper (2019) https://punchng.com/2019-20-legal-year-court-congestion-independence-top-judiciary-concern accessed 5 August 2022."
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"text": "2.\tAnozia v Attorney General of Lagos State [2010] 15 NWLR (Pt 1216) 207, 237."
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"@type": "CreativeWork",
"text": "3.\tS Justus and CN Nduka, \u2018The Court System in Nigeria: Jurisdiction and Appeals\u2019 (2016) 2 International Journal of Business and Applied Social Science 2."
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"text": "4.\tConstitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (CFRN 1999), s 6(1)\u2013(2)."
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"text": "5.\tibid, s 6(4)."
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"text": "6.\tibid, s 6(5)(a)\u2013(i)."
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"text": "7.\tibid, s 6(6)(a)\u2013(b)."
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"text": "8.\t(2002) 4 SC (Pt I) 1. (Case name required.)"
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"text": "9.\t(2007) 1 CCLR (SC) 104, 131; Justus and Nduka (n 3)."
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"text": "10.\tGadi v Male [2010] 7 NWLR (Pt 1193) 225."
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"text": "11.\tibid 266."
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"text": "12.\tE Atake, \u2018Congestion in Court is Killing Advocacy\u2019 The Guardian (2018) https://guardian.ng/features/congestion-in-courts-is-killing-advocacy-says-atake/ accessed 16 August 2023."
},
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"text": "13.\tA Nafiu, \u2018Rage over Congestion in Courts\u2019 Stuchlikova & Partners (2017) http://www.nigeriabar.com/2017/02/rage-over-congestion-in-courts accessed 16 August 2023."
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"text": "14.\tibid."
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"text": "15.\tAdesomoju (n 1)."
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"text": "16.\tibid."
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"text": "17.\tO Olasunkanmi, \u2018Lagos CJ Decries Backlog of Court Cases\u2019 Lagos State Government (2020) https://lagosstate.gov.ng/blog/2018/05/17/lagos-cj-decries-backlog-of-court-cases/ accessed 17 August 2022; J Monye and others, \u2018Where are We in Curbing Delays in Administration of Justice in Nigeria?\u2019 Punuka (2020) https://punuka.com/where-are-we-in-curbing-delays-in-nigeria/ accessed 16 August 2023."
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"text": "18.\tOloyode Akingbade v Lagos Town Council (1955) 21 NLR 90."
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"text": "19.\tA Oyekanmi, \u2018Supreme Court Affirms 1958 Acquisition of Ilasamaja/Oshodi Land by Lagos State Government\u2019 Ecomium (2017) https://ecomium.ng/supreme-court-affirms-1958-acquisition-of-ilasamaja-oshodi-land-by-lasg/ accessed 10 October 2023."
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"text": "20.\tState v Rev Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeugo (King) (2013) LCN/6696 (CA)."
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"text": "21.\tK Adejumo, \u2018Nigeria\u2019s Holding Charge Policy Affecting Access to Justice\u2019 HumAngle (2022) https://humanglemedia.com/nigerias-holding-charge-policy-affecting-access-to-justice/ accessed 10 October 2022."
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"text": "22.\tOlawoye v COP [2006] 2 NWLR (Pt 965) 427, 442\u2013443 (CA)."
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"text": "23.\tCFRN 1999, s 35(4)\u2013(5)."
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"text": "24.\tM Ozekhome, \u2018A Holding Charge is Patently Illegal under the Constitution\u2019 Premium Times (2015) https://www.premiumtimesng.com/features-and-interviews/195426-a-holding-charge-is-patently-illegal-under-the-constitution-part-1.html accessed 10 October 2023."
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"text": "25.\tJ Monye and others, \u2018Where are We in Curbing Delays in Administration of Justice in Nigeria?\u2019 Punuka (2022) https://punuka.com/where-are-we-in-curbing-delays-in-administration-of-justice-nigeria/ accessed 19 August 2023."
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"@type": "CreativeWork",
"text": "26.\tHC Westover, \u2018The Cause, Effect and Solution of Congestion in the Federal Courts\u2019 (1959) 10 Hastings Law Journal 384 https://repository.uchastings.edu/hastings-law-journal/vol10/iss4/3 accessed 19 August 2023."
},
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"@type": "CreativeWork",
"text": "27.\tF Busari, \u2018Special Report: Case Congestion in Lagos Courts Hinders Access to Justice\u2019 Premium Times (2019) https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/348468-special-report-case-congestion-in-lagos-courts-hinder-access-to-justice.html accessed 14 October 2023."
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"@type": "CreativeWork",
"text": "28.\tR Slowes, \u2018Benefits of a Modern Court Case Management System\u2019 White Paper (2016) https://www.static.legalsolutions.thomsonreuters.com accessed 10 October 2023."
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"@type": "CreativeWork",
"text": "29.\tI Akomolede, \u2018Reflections on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) as an Antidote to Delay in Dispensation of Justice in Nigeria\u2019 in O Oluduro and others (eds), Trends in Nigerian Law: Essays in Honour of Oba DVF Olateru Olagbegi III (Constellation (Nig) Publishers 2007) 482."
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"text": "30.\tT Sourdin, Mediation in the Supreme and County Courts of Victoria (Australian Centre for Justice Innovation 2009) 117."
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"text": "31.\tJE Warren, \u2018What\u2019s Wrong with the Courts: The Justice Speaks Out\u2019 (1970) https://njc.gov.ng/national-judicial-policy accessed 20 August 2023."
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"text": "32.\tibid."
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"text": "33.\tibid."
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"text": "34.\tNational Judicial Policy (National Judicial Council 2022) https://njc.gov.ng/national-judicial-policy accessed 10 October 2023."
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"text": "35.\tibid."
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"text": "36.\tibid."
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"text": "37.\tibid."
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"text": "38.\tibid."
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"text": "39.\tSS Ekpenyong and J Otakpor, \u2018Nigeria: Is Customary Arbitration the Solution to Congestion of Cases in Nigerian Courts?\u2019 Mondaq (2021) https://www.mondaq.com/nigeria/arbitration-dispute-resolution/107031/is-customary-arbitration-the-solution-to-congestion-of-cases-in-nigerian-courts accessed 30 September 2023."
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"@type": "CreativeWork",
"text": "40.\tO Agbakoba, \u2018The Role of the Administration of Criminal Justice in the Speedy Dispensation of Justice in Nigeria\u2019 HURILAWS (2019) https://hurilaws.org/the-role-of-the-administration-of-criminal-justice-act-in-the-speedy-dispensation-of-justice-in-nigeria/ accessed 16 August 2023."
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"text": "41.\tibid."
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"text": "42.\tFundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules 2009."
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"text": "43.\tCO Obiozor, Effective Case-Flow and Time Management Techniques (Paper presented at the Refresher Course for Judges and Kadis, National Judicial Institute, 2021) http://effective-case-flow-and-time-management-techniques-by-hon-justice-c.a-obiozor-1.pdf accessed 15 August 2023."
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"text": "44.\tibid."
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"text": "45.\tibid."
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"text": "46.\tYA Ojo, \u2018NJC Should Promote Judicial Ethics\u2019 The Guardian https://guardian.ng/features/law/njc-should-promote-judicial-ethics/ accessed 16 August 2023."
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"@type": "CreativeWork",
"text": "47.\tA Abdulwahab and D Onozure, \u2018Lagos State Courts in a State of Emergency \u2013 CJ\u2019 Vanguard (2018) https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/05/lagos-state-courts-state-emergency-cj/ accessed 12 October 2023."
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"text": "48.\tAA Osinuga and B Adepoju, \u2018The High Court of Lagos State (Civil Procedure) Rules 2019: A Step towards Improving the Administration of Justice\u2019 Lexology (2019) https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=f390e0-a2f6-4173-8fd1-4eaff242f72a accessed 12 October 2023."
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"text": "1.\tA Adesomoju, \u20182019/2020 Legal Year: Court Congestion, Top Judiciary\u2019s Concern\u2019 Punch Newspaper (2019) https://punchng.com/2019-20-legal-year-court-congestion-independence-top-judiciary-concern accessed 5 August 2022. \r\n2.\tAnozia v Attorney General of Lagos State [2010] 15 NWLR (Pt 1216) 207, 237. \r\n3.\tS Justus and CN Nduka, \u2018The Court System in Nigeria: Jurisdiction and Appeals\u2019 (2016) 2 International Journal of Business and Applied Social Science 2. \r\n4.\tConstitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (CFRN 1999), s 6(1)\u2013(2). \r\n5.\tibid, s 6(4). \r\n6.\tibid, s 6(5)(a)\u2013(i). \r\n7.\tibid, s 6(6)(a)\u2013(b). \r\n8.\t(2002) 4 SC (Pt I) 1. (Case name required.) \r\n9.\t(2007) 1 CCLR (SC) 104, 131; Justus and Nduka (n 3). \r\n10.\tGadi v Male [2010] 7 NWLR (Pt 1193) 225. \r\n11.\tibid 266. \r\n12.\tE Atake, \u2018Congestion in Court is Killing Advocacy\u2019 The Guardian (2018) https://guardian.ng/features/congestion-in-courts-is-killing-advocacy-says-atake/ accessed 16 August 2023. \r\n13.\tA Nafiu, \u2018Rage over Congestion in Courts\u2019 Stuchlikova & Partners (2017) http://www.nigeriabar.com/2017/02/rage-over-congestion-in-courts accessed 16 August 2023. \r\n14.\tibid. \r\n15.\tAdesomoju (n 1). \r\n16.\tibid. \r\n17.\tO Olasunkanmi, \u2018Lagos CJ Decries Backlog of Court Cases\u2019 Lagos State Government (2020) https://lagosstate.gov.ng/blog/2018/05/17/lagos-cj-decries-backlog-of-court-cases/ accessed 17 August 2022; J Monye and others, \u2018Where are We in Curbing Delays in Administration of Justice in Nigeria?\u2019 Punuka (2020) https://punuka.com/where-are-we-in-curbing-delays-in-nigeria/ accessed 16 August 2023. \r\n18.\tOloyode Akingbade v Lagos Town Council (1955) 21 NLR 90. \r\n19.\tA Oyekanmi, \u2018Supreme Court Affirms 1958 Acquisition of Ilasamaja/Oshodi Land by Lagos State Government\u2019 Ecomium (2017) https://ecomium.ng/supreme-court-affirms-1958-acquisition-of-ilasamaja-oshodi-land-by-lasg/ accessed 10 October 2023. \r\n20.\tState v Rev Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeugo (King) (2013) LCN/6696 (CA). \r\n21.\tK Adejumo, \u2018Nigeria\u2019s Holding Charge Policy Affecting Access to Justice\u2019 HumAngle (2022) https://humanglemedia.com/nigerias-holding-charge-policy-affecting-access-to-justice/ accessed 10 October 2022. \r\n22.\tOlawoye v COP [2006] 2 NWLR (Pt 965) 427, 442\u2013443 (CA). \r\n23.\tCFRN 1999, s 35(4)\u2013(5). \r\n24.\tM Ozekhome, \u2018A Holding Charge is Patently Illegal under the Constitution\u2019 Premium Times (2015) https://www.premiumtimesng.com/features-and-interviews/195426-a-holding-charge-is-patently-illegal-under-the-constitution-part-1.html accessed 10 October 2023. \r\n25.\tJ Monye and others, \u2018Where are We in Curbing Delays in Administration of Justice in Nigeria?\u2019 Punuka (2022) https://punuka.com/where-are-we-in-curbing-delays-in-administration-of-justice-nigeria/ accessed 19 August 2023. \r\n26.\tHC Westover, \u2018The Cause, Effect and Solution of Congestion in the Federal Courts\u2019 (1959) 10 Hastings Law Journal 384 https://repository.uchastings.edu/hastings-law-journal/vol10/iss4/3 accessed 19 August 2023. \r\n27.\tF Busari, \u2018Special Report: Case Congestion in Lagos Courts Hinders Access to Justice\u2019 Premium Times (2019) https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/348468-special-report-case-congestion-in-lagos-courts-hinder-access-to-justice.html accessed 14 October 2023. \r\n28.\tR Slowes, \u2018Benefits of a Modern Court Case Management System\u2019 White Paper (2016) https://www.static.legalsolutions.thomsonreuters.com accessed 10 October 2023. \r\n29.\tI Akomolede, \u2018Reflections on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) as an Antidote to Delay in Dispensation of Justice in Nigeria\u2019 in O Oluduro and others (eds), Trends in Nigerian Law: Essays in Honour of Oba DVF Olateru Olagbegi III (Constellation (Nig) Publishers 2007) 482. \r\n30.\tT Sourdin, Mediation in the Supreme and County Courts of Victoria (Australian Centre for Justice Innovation 2009) 117. \r\n31.\tJE Warren, \u2018What\u2019s Wrong with the Courts: The Justice Speaks Out\u2019 (1970) https://njc.gov.ng/national-judicial-policy accessed 20 August 2023. \r\n32.\tibid. \r\n33.\tibid. \r\n34.\tNational Judicial Policy (National Judicial Council 2022) https://njc.gov.ng/national-judicial-policy accessed 10 October 2023. \r\n35.\tibid. \r\n36.\tibid. \r\n37.\tibid. \r\n38.\tibid. \r\n39.\tSS Ekpenyong and J Otakpor, \u2018Nigeria: Is Customary Arbitration the Solution to Congestion of Cases in Nigerian Courts?\u2019 Mondaq (2021) https://www.mondaq.com/nigeria/arbitration-dispute-resolution/107031/is-customary-arbitration-the-solution-to-congestion-of-cases-in-nigerian-courts accessed 30 September 2023. \r\n40.\tO Agbakoba, \u2018The Role of the Administration of Criminal Justice in the Speedy Dispensation of Justice in Nigeria\u2019 HURILAWS (2019) https://hurilaws.org/the-role-of-the-administration-of-criminal-justice-act-in-the-speedy-dispensation-of-justice-in-nigeria/ accessed 16 August 2023. \r\n41.\tibid. \r\n42.\tFundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules 2009. \r\n43.\tCO Obiozor, Effective Case-Flow and Time Management Techniques (Paper presented at the Refresher Course for Judges and Kadis, National Judicial Institute, 2021) http://effective-case-flow-and-time-management-techniques-by-hon-justice-c.a-obiozor-1.pdf accessed 15 August 2023. \r\n44.\tibid. \r\n45.\tibid. \r\n46.\tYA Ojo, \u2018NJC Should Promote Judicial Ethics\u2019 The Guardian https://guardian.ng/features/law/njc-should-promote-judicial-ethics/ accessed 16 August 2023. \r\n47.\tA Abdulwahab and D Onozure, \u2018Lagos State Courts in a State of Emergency \u2013 CJ\u2019 Vanguard (2018) https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/05/lagos-state-courts-state-emergency-cj/ accessed 12 October 2023. \r\n48.\tAA Osinuga and B Adepoju, \u2018The High Court of Lagos State (Civil Procedure) Rules 2019: A Step towards Improving the Administration of Justice\u2019 Lexology (2019) https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=f390e0-a2f6-4173-8fd1-4eaff242f72a accessed 12 October 2023."
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"articleBody": "The menace of court congestion is one of the challenges bedeviling the Nigerian Judicial System that calls for concerted efforts among stakeholders in tackling the adverse effect at all levels. Many scholars, judges, lawyers as well as litigants have decried the malady of this cancerous enigma that has eaten deep into the fabric of the Nigerian judicial system. The impact of which is felt in the socio-political realm. Hence, the call for drastic concerted efforts to decongest the courts for the expeditious disposal of cases thereby creates an environment for timely dispensation of justice and economic growth. The paper adopts the doctrinal methodology of research by looking at the opinion of authors, judicial decisions, and opinions as well as some statutes. This paper analyses the concept of court congestion in Nigeria by examining the remote and immediate causes and its effects on the growth of Nigeria into nationhood and made recommendations on the way forward. Consequently, this paper called on all stakeholders in the judicial system to fight against court congestion thereby making for easy, fast, and expeditious dispensation of Justice in Nigeria.",
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