COMMITTEES OF THE NATIONAL JUDICIAL COUNCIL

  1. Committee on Interview of Nominees for Appointment as Judicial Officers of Superior Courts of Records

  2. Committee on Review of the 1999 Constitution

  3. Committee on Repositioning of the Council

  4. Committee on Performance Evaluation Committee of Judicial Officers of Superior Courts of Record in the Federation

  5. Appointments, Promotion and Disciplinary Committee

  6. Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committee

  7. Federal Judiciary Tenders Board

  8. Due Process Committee of the Federal Judiciary

  9. Committee on Federal Judiciary Budget Monitoring, Evaluation of Projects and Contracts

  10. Judicial Ethics Committee

  11. Corruption and Financial Crime Cases Trial Monitoring Committee

KEY AREAS OF SUCCESS

  • In line with the National Judicial Council Guidelines on appointment of Judicial Officers in the Federation, only suitable candidates of impeccable character and with sound legal backgrounds are recommended for appointment to Judicial Offices.

  • Serving Judicial Officers are constantly monitored by Judges' Performance Evaluation Committee of the Council. Thus, undue delays in delivering judgments and applications for unnecessary adjournments in Courts have reduced. Consequently, there is a general improvement on the performance of Judges and administration of Justice in the Federation.

  • The institutionalized disciplinary mechanism put in place by the Council pursuant to its Constitutional Powers has to a large extent sanitized the Judiciary; as complaints of corruption and abuse of Judicial power by Judicial Officers in granting frivolous and reckless interim Injunctions (exparte orders), have considerably minimized.

  • Through a private Member bill, Council initiated transfer of the responsibility for administration of the Pensions of all retired Federal Judicial Officers from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation to the National Judicial Council vide the Federal Judicial Officers (Administration of Pension) Act 2007. Since the transfer, retiring Federal Judicial Officers are paid their gratuity at the time of their retirement. Similarly, the Pensions of Retired Federal Judicial Officers are also paid as at when due.

CHALLENGES

  • Removal of Heads of Court by virtue of Section 292 by the Executive and non-compliance by State Governments with the provision of Section 121 (3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, are some of the major challenges confronting the National Judicial Council and Administration of Justice in the States.

  • Reduction in the budget of the Judiciary in the last three years and the late monthly release of allocation as against the quarterly release to the Judiciary by the Executive at the Federal level, is affecting the general administration of justice in the Federation.