A section of Nigerian lawyers and judges have said that adopting Information Communication Technology (ICT) has become imperative in contemporary Nigerian legal practice.

This was the top of the issues discussed at the 2022 Bar Week of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Otuocha Branch, on Friday in Nkwelle Ezunaka, Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra.

The theme of the week was “The Impact of Technology on 21st Century Law Practice and Justice Delivery”.

Oguguo Ikpeze of the Faculty of Law, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, who delivered the keynote address, said the world was advancing, and legal practice could not afford to lag.

Mr Ikpeze, a life bencher, said although the legal profession was viewed as mundane, known for being traditional and conservative to maintain professionalism, prestige and ethics, it must be made adaptable to change.

“Technology has made life easy, worth living and a global village. It has also made legal practice easy and made justice delivery speedy and more transparent,” he said.

Emeka Oraegbunam, a professor of Law and Applied Jurisprudence, said the world was evolving, and everything was being done online, including banking which involves money.

He recommended minimum infrastructure, training and teaching for effective adoption of ICT-based practice while advising the older generation of the bar and bench should make conscious efforts to adapt and be part of the revolution.

Mike Anyadiegwu, a magistrate, said it was important that courts be upgraded and made amenable to function technologically, adding that the facilities were not available in all courts.

Mr Anyadiegwu said a virtual hearing would solve the problem of the non-appearance of criminal suspects in court because of insecurity and COVID-19 and should be encouraged and adopted.

“The system should encourage ICT database for court proceedings; we can’t continue to do everything manually,” he said.

In his welcome address, Anthony Okafor, chairman of the Otuocha Branch of the NBA, said the programme was a unique opportunity to discuss, evaluate and proffer solutions to the myriad of issues besetting the profession and efficient justice delivery.

He congratulated Governor Chukwuma Soludo for his strides in managing the affairs of the state so far. He called on him to speed up the renovation work at the state High Court premises, Otuocha, to ease the dispensation of justice.

(NAN)