By Our Correspondent
National News – The President of the Court of Appeal, Monica Dongban-Mensem, on Thursday urged the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, to upgrade the National Judicial Institute into a full judicial university.
She said the move would allow retiring judges to continue mentoring younger judicial officers and strengthen professional training across Nigeria’s judiciary.
Dongban-Mensem made the proposal during a special court sitting held in Abuja to honour the outgoing Presiding Judge of the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal of Nigeria, Hamma Akawu Barka.
The event marked his retirement ahead of April 17, 2026, when he will reach the statutory retirement age of 70.
According to the Court of Appeal president, converting the judicial institute into a university would address gaps in specialised legal training within Nigeria’s judiciary.
She explained that the judiciary currently spends significant funds sending personnel abroad for training programmes that often fail to meet the unique needs of the Nigerian legal system.
Dongban-Mensem noted that a judicial university would provide structured, home-grown education for judges, registrars, and other court officials—from entry-level staff to senior judicial officers.
She also said the institution could become a regional centre for judicial education across Africa, enabling Nigeria to share expertise while reducing training costs.
“We expend a lot of resources on external training that adds little value to adjudication,” she said, adding that a dedicated judicial university would produce professionals trained specifically to address the realities of Nigeria’s justice system.
During the ceremony, Dongban-Mensem praised Barka’s decades of service, describing him as a disciplined jurist and an exemplary team player who contributed significantly to the appellate court’s development.
Barka served for more than four decades within Nigeria’s judiciary and held judicial responsibilities across several divisions, including Benin, Ilorin, Akure, Calabar, and Abuja.
His career, according to colleagues, reflected dedication to legal excellence and judicial integrity.
The special sitting formed part of the Court of Appeal’s Golden Jubilee celebrations.
A total of 21 panels comprising 63 justices sat during the sessions, collectively hearing about 330 appeals spanning civil, criminal, and commercial cases.
Court officials said some hearings took place at the Court of Appeal headquarters in Abuja, while others were conducted in courtrooms provided by partner judicial institutions to manage the heavy caseload.
