By Abdulwahab Muhammad, SSA Communication
Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, has directed the immediate commencement of arrangements to procure official vehicles for magistrates and ordered a review of the salaries and allowances of magistrates and Sharia Court judges.
The Governor gave the directives at the opening ceremony of the 2026/2027 Legal Year at the Bauchi State Court Complex.
He expressed concern that some magistrates travel to court in commercial vehicles alongside litigants, describing the situation as unsuitable for judicial officers and a potential security risk.
Governor Mohammed directed the Head of Service, Commissioner for Finance, Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, and the judiciary’s management to develop a realistic and sustainable remuneration package for magistrates and Sharia Court judges, in line with prevailing structures in other states.
He also assured the judiciary that his administration would continue monthly releases for its running costs, while noting the need to balance available resources among government priorities. He called for the accelerated completion of ongoing Magistrate Court projects and reaffirmed his commitment to judicial independence.
The Governor urged judicial officers to dispense justice without fear, favour, affection or ill will, describing the courts as the last hope of the common person. He assured them that the executive would not interfere in their judicial responsibilities.
Earlier, the Chief Judge of Bauchi State, Justice Rabi Talatu Umar, said the judiciary was proposing additional High Court divisions in Ningi, Misau, Toro and Azare to address rising caseloads and improve access to justice across the state’s three senatorial districts.
She said the Azare division sometimes handles as many as 38 cases on its daily cause list. To ease the pressure, a senior judge had been deployed and two separate appeal panels constituted.
Justice Umar also said the judiciary collected and remitted ₦66,574,051.55 to the state government through fees, fines and probate charges generated by the High Court and Magistrate Courts.
She announced plans to establish a multi-door courthouse offering alternative dispute resolution and arbitration services, and encouraged residents to consider these options to help reduce pressure on conventional courts.
The Chief Judge commended the Governor for supporting the judiciary, citing the completion and furnishing of the new Magistrate Court Complex, renovation of the High Court judge’s residence in Azare, and construction of the twin Magistrate Court complex in Bauchi, which she said was 90 per cent complete.
In his address, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Usman Eliyakub Hassan, SAN, said the Ministry of Justice had recruited 10 additional state counsel, bringing the number recruited through recent exercises to 20.
He reported that the ministry received 662 criminal cases during the period under review. Of these, 201 had been disposed of, 412 remained pending before the High Court and 26 were at the legal advice stage.
The ministry also vetted 219 contracts and memoranda of understanding, generating approximately ₦466.8 million, which was remitted to the state treasury. Barrister Hassan added that all outstanding judgment debts against the state government had been settled and 21 bills and statutory instruments vetted and drafted during the year.
He further said laws and executive orders issued by the present administration between 2019 and April 2026 had been gazetted and distributed to relevant government institutions and members of the public.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Bauchi Branch, Barrister Rabi’u Garba, called for the full implementation of the judiciary’s constitutional financial autonomy and improved welfare for judicial officers, particularly magistrates and Sharia Court judges.
He cited inadequate facilities in some lower courts, including dilapidated buildings, insufficient accommodation, lack of official vehicles and limited operational equipment. He proposed a Special Magistracy and Lower Courts Welfare and Infrastructure Fund to address the challenges.
Barrister Garba also announced plans to reactivate the NBA Branch’s Ethics and Privileges Committee and organise compulsory professional ethics seminars to strengthen discipline and professional conduct among legal practitioners.
The ceremony provided an opportunity for judicial leaders and government officials to review the justice sector’s performance and discuss priorities for improving the administration of justice in Bauchi State.
