Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has warned lawyers against forum shopping and filing multiple suits over similar claims, saying the practices could trigger conflicting court orders and delay justice, particularly during the coming electoral season.
She gave the warning on Monday at the Supreme Court’s special session marking the commencement of the 2026/2027 Legal Year in Abuja.
Kekere-Ekun also condemned the use of social media to threaten, harass or ridicule judges and lawyers, insisting that judicial decisions must be made without intimidation.
“The administration of justice cannot be left to anger, intimidation or trial by social media,” she said.
She urged lawyers to disclose related cases, respect other courts’ jurisdiction and use established channels to challenge judgments or report professional misconduct.
Reviewing the court’s performance, the CJN said the Supreme Court handled 2,456 matters and delivered 411 judgments during the 2025/2026 Legal Year, compared with 2,280 matters and 369 judgments and rulings in the preceding year.
To reduce the backlog, the court scheduled 1,385 matters for hearings between March 23 and December 17, 2026, disposed of 178 moribund cases in chambers and removed 125 concluded cases from its active docket.
She also announced the implementation of the Nigerian Case Management System from July 1, 2026, to improve electronic filing, protect judicial records and reduce administrative delays. The Court of Appeal is expected to join the platform in November.
The CJN renewed calls for timely release of funds approved for the Judiciary, warning that delays affect projects, procurement and judicial independence.
On financial crime prosecutions, she said the EFCC reported 2,842 convictions and recoveries exceeding ₦1.23 trillion and $684 million between October 2023 and July 2026. The ICPC, she added, filed 53 cases and secured 33 convictions.
Kekere-Ekun stressed that the fight against corruption must not come at the expense of fair hearings and impartial judgments.
The ceremony also featured the conferment of the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) rank on 68 legal practitioners.