House Of Reps Proposes Increment Of Retirement Age Of Justices Of Court Of Appeal And Supreme Court To 75

The House of Representatives has moved to alter the provision of the 1999 Constitution with a view to increasing the retirement age of Judicial Officers to 75 years.

In a bill sponsored by the House Committee Chairman on Judiciary, Mr. Onofiok Luke, which had passed first reading on September, 29, he noted that the essence is to ensure the independence of the Judiciary and to enhance quality justice delivery.

The explanatory memorandum of the bill says its “A bill to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Cap. C23, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, to increase the retirement age for judicial officers in order to secure judicial independence, protect judicial officers from pressure, and promote experience and quality in justice delivery in Nigeria, and for related matters.”

Meanwhile, the bill seeks to alter Section 291 of the 1999 Constitution by substituting the word “seventy” in Subsection 1 with the word “seventy-five,” and substituting for the word “sixty-five” with the word “seventy” in Subsection 2 thereof.

It is important to note that presently, High Court judges retire at 65 years old, while those of the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court retire at 70.

In a related development, the House is also considering setting time frames for various categories of courts in Nigeria within which they must dispense justice in criminal and civil cases before them.

Luke, who sponsored the bill, also noted in the explanatory memorandum on the legislation that the proposal is to fast-track justice delivery.