Wike flags off three Magistrate Courts in Abuja

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Tuesday flagged off the construction of three new magistrate courts in Abuja, reaffirming the Administration’s commitment to improving the justice system through modern facilities and welfare support for judicial officers.

Wike said the projects, located in Jabi, Asokoro, and Garki districts, align with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes access to justice, housing, and improved working conditions for judicial officers.

He stressed that quick dispensation of justice cannot be achieved without providing the right environment for judges and magistrates.

“My lord, you’ve been able to read out what the FCT administration is doing as regards to the justice sector. But it has to be put in place that all we are doing, it is all the initiatives of Mr. President and they were executed by us, were implemented by us,” Wike said.

He noted that President Tinubu had long emphasized the link between fighting corruption and providing adequate support for judicial officers.

“Mr. President has always believed that you cannot talk about quick dispensation of justice when you don’t provide the enabling environment, just like when he came to Port Harcourt in 2023 before his inauguration. At that time, he was president-elect.

He came and inaugurated the magistrate court complexes we built. He said, you can’t talk about fighting corruption when you don’t provide the enabling environment for the judges and magistrates. When you don’t provide welfare for them, it will be very difficult.”

The FCT Minister lamented the poor living and working conditions of many judicial officers, describing them as embarrassing.

“I have been going around, and sometimes when you see where our judges and magistrates sit, it’s very, very embarrassing. And then you still consider, or you still want them to deliver justice quickly, as you want them to do.

You need to provide good enabling environment, good offices, good court halls for them to be able to do that,” he said.

On housing for judicial officers, Wike promised significant progress within President Tinubu’s first term.

“Now, Mr. President has said, that has to come to a stop. And let me assure you, let me assure you, before the end of the first tenure of Mr. President, we would have solved 80% of your accommodation problems. Before this tenure ends, we would have solved 80% of your accommodation problem in terms of housing,” he assured.

The Minister revealed that 20 duplexes will be handed over to the FCT High Court by October this year, with another 30 to be delivered by June next year during the President’s third anniversary. He added that additional projects are ongoing in other parts of the city to further support magistrates.

Wike urged continued support for the judiciary while assuring that under the Renewed Hope Agenda, judicial reforms and infrastructure development would be sustained.

“So my lord, be assured that under the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President, all these things will be a thing of the past,” he said.

Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Engr. Yonana Dauda, explained that the new magistrate court in Jabi would be a modern complex with comprehensive facilities.

“The contract for the construction has been awarded, with the scope covering a block of courtrooms, magistrates’ chambers, a conference room, library, office accommodation, and supporting facilities including a gatehouse, generator house, fencing, external works, and full furnishing,” Dauda said.

He added that the initiative would ease congestion in existing courts, improve efficiency, and provide job opportunities during construction.

“The decision to build this magistrate court is aimed at improving access to justice across the rapidly expanding FCT, decongesting overburdened courts, and enhancing the efficiency of legal service delivery,” he explained.