Wike Unveils Housing, Infrastructure Drive For FCT Judiciary

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike has unveiled plans to tackle housing shortages for judges and accelerate court infrastructure projects, citing the direct backing of President Bola Tinubu.

Wike made the announcement yesterday during a special court session marking the commencement of the 2025/2026 Legal Year of the Court of Appeal in Abuja.

He positioned the initiatives as critical to enhancing productivity, safeguarding judicial independence, and restoring long-awaited confidence in the system.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will continue to support the judiciary to enhance productivity, reduce delays, and uphold its independence and integrity,” Wike stated.

The minister said a key immediate measure is the allocation of funds to construct additional residential houses for FCT High Court Judges.

“We will aggressively push for the timely completion of the new residential quarters for Heads of Courts and the Jabi Magistrate Court Complex to ensure prompt utilisation.

“We have made budgetary provisions to construct additional residential houses to mitigate housing shortages and ensure all judicial officers are appropriately accommodated,” Wike said.

He directly linked the President’s involvement to a breakthrough for the Supreme Court, revealing that under the President’s decisive action, the FCTA has handed over the Certificate of Occupancy for the Supreme Court’s land and begun perimeter fencing to secure the complex.

“This swift, long-awaited intervention gives the Apex Court of our beloved country the much-needed Confidence Building which had not been done in past administrations,” he said.

Wike while listing ongoing projects, highlighted the construction of residential quarters for Heads of Courts, a new Magistrate Court Complex in Jabi, staff quarters for the Nigerian Law School, and new complexes for the Court of Appeal and other federal courts in Abuja.

“The reasoning of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is that providing comfortable and secure accommodation allows judges to focus entirely on the timely and efficient administration of justice, free from the distractions of inadequate living conditions,” he said.

Outlining priorities for the new legal year, Wike promised an aggressive push for project completions and expanded collaboration on digitizing court processes.

“We will continue to collaborate with the various FCT-based judiciaries (including the Court of Appeal) to support the digitization of court proceedings and registries to improve efficiency, reduce manual processes, and accelerate the dispensation of justice.

“Let me state that Justice must never be compromised under any circumstances, for it is the bedrock of our democracy and the safeguard of public trust. It is the responsibility of all stakeholders, judges, legal practitioners, government agencies, and citizens alike to work collaboratively to strengthen and improve our judicial system.

“I am confident that the commencement of this 2025/2026 Legal Year will herald a period of unprecedented success, wisdom, and efficiency for the Court of Appeal,” he said.