The Lagos State Government has announced plans to relocate the Igbosere High Court which was burnt in October 2020 during the #EndSARS protest to a property located in Ikoyi.
The new court complex which comprises of 9 courtrooms, will be located in the Osborne Foreshore Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos and is expected to be ready for use by the end of May.
This disclosure was made by the Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Moyosore Onigbanjo, SAN, at the Lagos State Ministry of Justice’s 2021 Ministerial Press Briefing.
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Onigbanjo, during the briefing which has the theme, ‘Our journey between April 2020 and April 2021,’ said that the ongoing state-wide construction and renovation of courts is part of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s efforts to enhance access to justice for residents of Lagos.
The Commissioner revealed that there is an ongoing digitalisation of 10 courtrooms in the state with 6 of them expected to be fully digitalised courts by October.
This will help in the quick dispensation of justice with Onigbanjo pointing out that the facilities will provide real-time transcripts solution services and fully automated courts.
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He noted that the digitalization will complement the launch of an online platform for checking the status of legal advice and certified true copy of legal advice.
He said that there is also an ongoing upgrade of the Ministry of Justice’s website and social media handles, as well as the introduction of Case Management Systems within the Ministry to improve efficiency.
Onigbanjo highlighted the Ministry of Justice’s efforts to boost law enforcement agencies’ performance by building statement recording/interrogation rooms for the police to enhance prosecution of cases.
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What you should know
It can be recalled that the Igbosere High Court, Nigeria’s oldest and most recognisable judicial building, was looted and burnt down by hoodlums who took advantage of the #EndSARS protest on October 22, 2020.
The hoodlums looted the court and destroyed vehicles, furniture, refrigerators, air conditioners, office equipment among others.
The Chief Judge of Lagos State, Honourable Justice K. O Alogba said that although the fire that gutted the Lagos State High Court, Igbosere, Lagos may have caused billions of naira damages, it did not destroy substantial records in the court.
