The Jigawa State Judiciary has disclosed that a total of 30,058 cases were received by various courts in the state in 2025, with 22,829 cases disposed of, leaving 7,070 cases pending.
PUNCH Online reports that this was revealed at the annual Bar and Bench Meeting held on Wednesday in Dutse, the Jigawa state capital, where the judiciary reviewed its performance for the year 2025.
Speaking during the meeting, the Chief Judge of Jigawa State, Justice Umar M. Sadiq, said that the State High Courts received 917 cases, disposed of 685, and had 233 cases pending.
The Jigawa CJ explained that the Magistrates’ Courts received 5,016 cases, disposed of 2,014, and had 3,002 cases pending, while the Shari’a Court of Appeal received 148 cases, disposed of 86, and had 2 cases pending.
According to him, the lower Shari’a Courts had, during the year under review, received 23,877 cases, disposed of 20,044, and had 3,833 cases pending.
He expressed gratitude to all judicial officers and stakeholders for their efforts in achieving these results, thanking the Honourable Judges, Kadis, Magistrates, and Shari’a Court Alkalis for their dedication.
Justice Sadiq commended the Nigerian Bar Association, the Ministry of Justice, the Nigeria Police Force, and other stakeholders for their contributions to the administration of justice.
In his remarks, the Jigawa State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Bello Fanini, reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to supporting the judiciary in its functions.
“The Ministry of Justice is committed to working closely with the judiciary to ensure that justice is served and the rule of law is upheld,” Fanini said, emphasising the ministry’s role in supporting the judiciary’s functions.
He noted that the ministry would continue to provide the necessary assistance to ensure the effective administration of justice in the state.
Fanini therefore expressed his confidence in the judiciary’s ability to deliver justice, and he assured the ministry’s support in ensuring that the necessary resources are made available to the judiciary to enable it to function effectively.
“As we continue to work together, I am confident that we will achieve our goals of ensuring that justice is served and the people of Jigawa State are protected,” Fanini said, highlighting the importance of collaboration between the judiciary and the Ministry of Justice.
Commenting at the event, the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Dutse Branch, G. H. Umar, appreciated the judiciary’s transparency in sharing performance data and called for the judiciary’s total independence.
He also appealed to the State Ministry of Justice to redouble efforts towards the speedy trial of cases.
Earlier in her remarks, the Chief Registrar of the Jigawa State High Court, Aisha Babura, who set the tone for the State Judiciary’s annual Bar and Bench Meeting with a warm welcome address, said, “As we gather here today, I am honoured to welcome you all to this important meeting.”
“This meeting provides an opportunity for us to reflect on our collective efforts in administering justice in Jigawa State and to chart a way forward for improvement,” She added.
Babura emphasised the importance of collaboration and synergy among stakeholders in the justice sector, saying, “As we review our performance and address challenges, I urge us to reaffirm our commitment to the noble cause of justice delivery.”
While shedding more light on the development to the PUNCH Correspondent shortly after the meeting, the Director of Publicity and Protocols, Jigawa State Judiciary, Abbas Wangara, stated that “the Jigawa State Judiciary’s annual Bar and Bench Meeting was a highly successful event.”
“The meeting provided a platform for judges and lawyers to interact, review the administration of justice, and strategise on ways to enhance the speedy and fair dispensation of justice in Jigawa State,” Wangara told our correspondent.
Wangara said the meeting was attended by key stakeholders, including the Controller of Correctional Centres, Jigawa State Command, Honourable Judges, Kadis, State Solicitor General, and other stakeholders.
“The judiciary’s performance in 2025 reflects its commitment to delivering justice to the people of Jigawa State,” Wangara said, highlighting the progress made by the judiciary.
He described the annual Bar and Bench Meeting as “a productive and informative session” that will help improve the administration of justice in the state.
“The judiciary will continue to work towards improving the administration of justice in the state, and we call for continued collaboration and support from all stakeholders,” Wangara said.
Jigawa State’s annual Bar and Bench Meeting is a statutory forum that brings together judges, lawyers, and justice sector stakeholders to review court performance, identify challenges, and strengthen collaboration for efficient justice delivery.
Leave a comment