FCT MINISTER FLAGS OFF CONSTRUCTION OF NEW MAGISTRATE COURT IN JABI DISTRICT

…Pledges commitment to the provision of 80 per cent housing needs of judicial officers in FCT by 2027

By: Rabi Musa Umar and Wisdom Acka

In a landmark move to strengthen Nigeria’s judicial infrastructure, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike, has flagged off the construction of a state-of-the-art Magistrate Court in Jabi District, Abuja.

Speaking at the flag-off ceremony on Tuesday, September 2, 2025, Barr. Wike emphasized that the project was part of the FCT Administration’s renewed commitment to enhancing the justice sector and ensuring the swift dispensation of justice, which he said aligns with the President’s vision for the judiciary.

“You cannot fight corruption or ensure swift justice when magistrates work in deplorable conditions,” he declared, recalling President Tinubu’s 2023 remarks during the inauguration of magistrate courts in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

He described the current challenges faced by judicial officers, including inadequate office spaces and poor living conditions, as embarrassing, adding that it was difficult to achieve quick dispensation of justice without the provision of an enabling environment for the judiciary.

The event was attended by judicial leaders and stakeholders, underscored the FCT Administration’s commitment to the “Renewed Hope Agenda” of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

According to the Minister, the flag-off was one of three planned for Asokoro and Garki, aimed at transforming the justice sector through improved facilities and welfare for judicial officers.

To address the accommodation challenges judicial officers face, Wike pledged that the FCT Administration would deliver 20 duplexes for High Court judges by October 2025 and an additional 30 by June 2026.

“By the end of this tenure, 80% of accommodation challenges will be resolved,” Wike assured.

Making a case for collective support, Minister Wike dismissed critics of judicial infrastructure investments, noting that the FCDA’s mandate includes the construction of public buildings, citing Aso Villa, the Federal Secretariat, INEC offices, and the Supreme Court, among others.

“Support the system; criticism alone won’t help,” he urged, praising the FCT High Court for assisting in boosting revenue generation for the FCT through efficiency.

Wike also hinted at upcoming IT upgrades for the courts to replace manual record-keeping and reduce delays.

Speaking on the scope of the project, the Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Engr. Richard Yunana Dauda, outlined that the Jabi District project has sister projects in Garki and Asokoro.

He revealed that it includes facilities such as courtrooms, magistrates’ chambers, a library, conference rooms, and auxiliary structures (a gatehouse and generator house).

The ES stated that the aim of the triple project was to decongest overburdened courts, enhance access to justice, and modernize legal service delivery.

He added that the project would create jobs during construction and, upon completion, provide a functional space to uphold the rule of law in Abuja’s rapidly growing population.