Niger State Chief Judge Raises Alarm Over Judicial Understaffing

The Chief Judge of Niger State, Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik, has raised concerns over the severe understaffing in the judiciary, warning that it threatens the effective functioning of the judicial system.

Speaking during a special court session to mark the 2024/2025 legal year, Justice Abdulmalik highlighted that, in the past 17 years, only 103 personnel have been employed across the judiciary. This number includes those who have since passed away, been dismissed, retired, or resigned, leading to a substantial depletion of the workforce.

Justice Abdulmalik emphasized the urgency of hiring new staff to fill vacant roles, noting that an adequately staffed judiciary is crucial to ensuring the swift and fair dispensation of justice. “The shortage of personnel is most severe in the lower cadre, where the workforce has nearly halved,” she stated, adding that from 696 junior staff in 2014, the number has fallen to 213 in 2024 within the High Court division alone.

Additionally, the judicial arm lacks Magistrate Grade 2 officers, and of the state’s 78 magistrate courts, 13 currently have no substantive presiding officers. The Chief Judge underscored that a similar staffing gap affects the Shariah courts, exacerbating the judicial system’s challenges.

Justice Abdulmalik called on the government to address the understaffing crisis to prevent a potential breakdown of judicial services in the state.