Lagos State Govt set to move burnt Igbosere High Court to Ikoyi

The Lagos State Government is to move the Igbosere High Court which was razed in October 2020 during the #EndSARS protest to a property located in Ikoyi.

The new court complex which comprises nine courtrooms, will be located in the Osborne Foreshore Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos.

The complex is to be ready for use by the end of May.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Moyosore Onigbanjo, SAN, made the revelation on Wednesday at the Lagos State Ministry of Justice’s 2021 Ministerial Press Briefing.

The theme of the Ministerial Briefing is ‘Our journey between April 2020 and April 2021’.

Onigbanjo said that there is an ongoing state-wide construction and renovation of courts as part of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s efforts to enhance access to justice for residents of Lagos.

The A-G revealed that there is an ongoing digitalisation of 10 courtrooms in the state and that six of the fully digitalised courts will be ready by October.

Onigbanjo noted that the facilities will provide “real-time transcripts solution services and fully-automated courts”.

The digitalisation, he noted, will complement the launch of an online platform for checking the status of legal advice and certified true copy of legal advice.

He said that there is also an ongoing upgrade of the Ministry of Justice’s website and social media handles, as well as introduction of Case Management Systems within the Ministry to improve efficiency.

Onigbanjo highlighted the Ministry of Justice’s efforts to boost law enforcement agencies’ performance by building statement recording/interrogation rooms for the police to enhance prosecution of cases.

NAN reports that the Igbosere High Court, Nigeria’s oldest and most recognisable judicial building, was on Oct. 22, 2020, attacked by hoodlums under the guise of #EndSARS protest.

The hoodlums looted the court and destroyed vehicles, furniture, refrigerators, air conditioners, office equipment among others.