NBA Rejects Proposed Supreme Court Expansion, Calls for Judicial Reforms Instead

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has firmly opposed recent suggestions to increase the number of Supreme Court justices, labeling the proposal as a misguided solution to the nation's judicial challenges. NBA President Yakubu Maikyau made the association's position clear during an emergency meeting of senior advocates in Abuja, arguing that Nigeria's judicial problems require systemic reforms rather than simply adding more justices to the apex court. The debate over Supreme Court expansion emerged after the Chief Justice of Nigeria hinted at possible changes to address the court's overwhelming caseload. Currently, with only 21 justices instead of the constitutionally allowed maximum of 21, the court handles over 1,500 cases annually - a situation many believe compromises judicial efficiency and the quality of rulings. Maikyau emphasized that merely increasing judicial numbers without addressing fundamental issues would prove ineffective. "Our problems stem...