President Bola Tinubu's proposed 300 percent increase in the salaries and allowances of judicial office holders has been supported by the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Allocation Commission (RMAFC) and Justice Minister Lateef Fagbemi. The plan was approved during a public hearing on "A Bill for an Act to prescribe the salaries and allowances and fringe benefit of judicial office holders in Nigeria and related matters, 2024." Fagbemi emphasized the importance of ensuring judicial independence and integrity, stating that the judiciary has stagnated on the same salary scale for over 16 years. He also called for a holistic review of the justice system, establishing a Working Group on the review of the 1999 Constitution and other relevant laws. The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Kayode Ariwoola compared the situation of judges across Nigeria to that of a patient in an intensive care unit that needs serious medical attention. The proposal would stabilize the situation of judges. RMAFC Chairman Mohammed Shehu supported the proposal based on current realities, citing the Nigerian judiciary generally being at the bottom of the rung. Finance Minister Wale Edun, the National Judicial Council (NJC), and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) also supported the bill. The proposed increase is expected to help strengthen the independence of the judiciary.
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