Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has warned lawyers against forum shopping and the filing of multiple suits over substantially similar reliefs, cautioning that the practices could lead to conflicting court orders, undermine judicial integrity, and further delay the administration of justice ahead of another electoral season.
The CJN gave the warning on Monday at the special session of the Supreme Court in Abuja to mark the commencement of the 2026/2027 Legal Year.
Justice Kekere-Ekun said the judiciary must approach politically sensitive disputes with impartiality and fidelity to the law, while urging judicial officers to avoid conduct that could create an appearance of political bias.
She also called on lawyers to exercise greater professional responsibility when instituting political and electoral cases, particularly where related proceedings are already pending before another court.
“Forum shopping … can result in conflicting orders, undermine orderly judicial process and expose the judiciary to avoidable embarrassment,” she said.
The CJN warned that an excessive concentration of political litigation could overwhelm the courts and delay the determination of other legitimate claims, stressing that the urgency or public prominence of electoral disputes must not come at the expense of other litigants.
She urged counsel to disclose related proceedings fully and respect the jurisdiction and processes of other courts, noting that their responsibility extends beyond securing immediate advantages for clients to protecting the integrity of the judicial system.
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Social Media Attacks Against Judges
Justice Kekere-Ekun also condemned the growing use of social media to turn professional disagreements into personal attacks, ridicule, threats and harassment.
She said judges must be able to decide cases according to law without fear of retaliation, while lawyers should be free to make legitimate submissions without intimidation.
According to her, established channels exist for criticising judgments, reporting professional misconduct and making complaints against judicial officers and legal practitioners.
“The administration of justice cannot be left to anger, intimidation or trial by social media,” the CJN said.
She stressed that the dignity of the legal profession was a collective responsibility of the Bench and the Bar, particularly as political activities intensify ahead of the next electoral cycle.
Supreme Court Delivers 411 Judgments In One Year
Providing an account of the Court’s performance, the CJN disclosed that the Supreme Court handled 2,456 matters during the 2025/2026 Legal Year and delivered 411 judgments.
The matters comprised 1,179 general civil motions, 573 criminal motions, 13 Sharia-related motions and 676 appeals.
The appeals included 433 general civil appeals, 212 criminal appeals, 19 political appeals, 12 Sharia appeals and 10 originating summons.
The figures represent an increase in the court’s workload compared with the preceding Legal Year, when it handled 2,280 matters and delivered 369 judgments and rulings.
To tackle the accumulation of pending cases, Justice Kekere-Ekun said the court had intensified its case-management efforts through the E-Diary Office and the creation of special panels for designated categories of cases.
She disclosed that 1,385 matters had been scheduled for regular sittings between March 23 and December 17, 2026. These comprised 1,021 motions and 364 appeals, including 733 old matters deliberately brought forward for hearing.
The court also disposed of 178 moribund matters in chambers and removed 125 cases already concluded from its active docket.
Special panels were assigned 141 matters involving Sharia cases, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC).
The panels were established as part of broader efforts to reduce the backlog and expedite the consideration of cases requiring particular attention.
Digital Case Management
The CJN announced that the Supreme Court commenced implementation of the Nigerian Case Management System (NCMS) on July 1, 2026, alongside practice directions mandating the electronic filing of processes, records of appeal and other court documents.
She said the initiative was designed to improve case management, strengthen the security of judicial records and reduce avoidable administrative delays.
Implementation is being phased, beginning with pending appeals listed for hearing between September and December 2026.
The High Courts of Borno, Bayelsa, Delta and Niger States, as well as the High Court of Taraba State, Ebonyi State High Court and the Federal High Court, Lagos Division, have been onboarded on the platform, according to the CJN.
She added that the Court of Appeal was expected to go live on the system in November, describing its adoption as a significant step towards the electronic transmission of appeals from connected courts to the Supreme Court.
Justice Kekere-Ekun urged other courts to accelerate their adoption of the platform to support a more integrated and efficient judicial system.
CJN Seeks Timely Release Of Judicial Funds
The Chief Justice also renewed calls for the financial independence of the Judiciary, arguing that budgetary allocations alone were insufficient without the timely release and disbursement of approved funds.
While acknowledging improvements in funding and budgetary provisions for the Federal Judiciary, she said delays in releasing appropriated funds had practical consequences, including deferred projects, disrupted procurement and the erosion of purchasing power due to inflation.
She called for a reliable mechanism to ensure that funds approved for the Judiciary were made available when required.
Justice Kekere-Ekun maintained that judicial independence must be supported by adequate infrastructure, appropriate working conditions, staff remuneration, training and sustained investment in technology.
She said the challenges were particularly pronounced at the state level and pledged that the Judiciary would continue to advocate financial independence in accordance with the Constitution.
EFCC Reports 2,842 Convictions
On the prosecution of financial crimes, the CJN disclosed that the EFCC reported 2,842 convictions during the period under review, while the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) filed 53 cases and secured 33 convictions.
She further stated that the EFCC reported recoveries exceeding ₦1.23 trillion and $684 million between October 2023 and July 2026, alongside £373,905.78 and €9.34 million.
Of the naira recoveries, approximately ₦397.26 billion represented direct recoveries for the Federal Government, while ₦836.34 billion was recovered on behalf of state governments, ministries, departments and agencies, private companies and individual victims.
Justice Kekere-Ekun commended the judiciary, anti-graft agencies and other institutions involved in the investigation, prosecution and adjudication of corruption, money laundering and other financial crimes.
She, however, cautioned that the judiciary’s contribution to the fight against corruption must not be measured solely by convictions and forfeiture orders.
She insisted that every case must be determined fairly, impartially and in accordance with the law, irrespective of public sentiment or the personalities involved.
The legal Year ceremony also featured the conferment of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) on 68 legal practitioners.