The attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice, Lateef Fagbemi, has urged the Nigerian Senate to pass the proposed 300 per cent increase in the salaries and allowances of judicial officers in the country.

He made the plea on Monday at a one-day public hearing on a Bill titled: “A Bill for an Act to Prescribe the Salaries and Allowances and Fringe Benefit of Judicial Office Holders in Nigeria and Related Matters, 2024.”

The public hearing was set up by the Senate committee on judiciary, human rights, and legal matters, chaired by Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno (APC – Borno North).

Giving his presentation, Mr Fagbemi said, “I wish to remark that the Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, etc.) Bill 2024 is quite innovative. Aside from the increment in the basic salary, it also took cognizance of certain peculiarities of the administrative structure and operation of the judiciary.

“This Bill will birth an appropriate and commensurate remuneration that will ensure judicial independence and integrity. The present-day but sad reality is that the judiciary has stagnated on the same salary scale for over 16 years, this is totally unacceptable and quite antithetical to any meaningful judicial reform.

“I strongly commend this Bill for your kind consideration and do urge the Senate to support and ensure the passage of this Bill in the national interest of promoting the rule of law,” the AGF stated.

Mr Fagbemi revealed that consultations are ongoing with the judiciary and other key stakeholders, as the FG wants to ensure a holistic review of the judicial system to respond to Nigeria’s justice needs.

“This is why I am taking immediate/urgent steps to establish a Working Group on the review of the Constitution and other relevant laws,” he revealed.

According to him, the working group will, among other things, focus on the key provisions aimed at achieving the judiciary that responds to the evolving justice needs of Nigerians.

“At the appropriate time, and I promise very soon, we will come up with proposals for Constitutional and Statutory reforms of the Judiciary in particular and the Administration of the Justice System in general,” he vowed.

Also throwing their weight behind the proposed increment are: the National Judicial Council (NJC), Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Allocation Commission (RMAFC), and other critical stakeholders.