Human Rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana (SAN), has expressed dissatisfaction with the condition of customary courts in Lagos State, which he emphasized have reportedly been ignored.
Falana spoke on Thursday at the Citizens Accountability and Rights Forum, an event organized by the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, in the Ikeja area of Lagos State.
According to the Senior Advocate of Nigeria, there is a need for the improvement of the customary courts so that they can better serve the vulnerable and the common citizens of Lagos State.
He emphasized that the changes in the judicial sector have consistently focused on the magistrates and the high courts, while the customary courts, which were intended to serve the masses, allegedly experienced neglect.
Falana said, “I am aware there have been several reforms in the judicial sector, but it is unfortunate that most of these reforms have focused on the magistrates and high courts, while the customary courts that are meant to serve the common man are suffering neglect.
“I want to appeal to the Lagos State House of Assembly, through Honourable Ogundipe, to look into this and improve the customary courts to better serve the people of Lagos State.”
Reacting, the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, who was represented by the Chairman, House Committee on Security, Stephen Ogundipe, acknowledged the alleged neglect of the customary courts but stressed that efforts were ongoing by the lawmakers to address the issue.
“The Lagos State House of Assembly is aware of the state of the customary courts. Even though there are instances where some of the courts have been turned into offices, we had to order their return to the status quo. A committee has been initiated to look into it and a reform will be made concerning the customary courts,” Ogundipe said.
