Magistrates in Ondo State have issued a formal appeal to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, urging the state government to immediately provide official vehicles for judicial officers, citing escalating security risks and threats to judicial integrity.
According to the Magistrates Association of Nigeria (MAN), Ondo State chapter, more than 60 magistrates currently rely on commercial transport to commute between courts. This situation, they warned, routinely forces judicial officers to share buses and taxis with criminal suspects and litigants — including individuals undergoing trial before them.
Speaking during a courtesy visit to former senator Bode Olajumoke and Vanguard Publisher Sam Amuka in Akure, MAN spokesperson Chief Magistrate Damilola Sekoni described the current conditions as both humiliating and dangerous.
“We board commercial vehicles daily, often with defendants and suspects standing trial before us,” Sekoni said. “This exposes us to grave personal risk and undermines the dignity of the judiciary.”
He stressed that lack of mobility support compromises judicial independence and may erode public confidence in the justice system.
The Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Akure branch, Onimisi Umar, echoed the call, insisting that official vehicles are not a luxury but an operational necessity for officers entrusted with sensitive judicial responsibilities.
“Providing official vehicles will improve safety, efficiency, and morale. Magistrates must be treated with the respect their office demands,” Umar stated.
In response, Olajumoke pledged to take the matter directly to the governor, emphasizing the need to safeguard judicial officers and ensure they remain motivated to uphold the rule of law. Amuka also commended the magistrates for speaking up and encouraged them to continue maintaining the highest standards of integrity.
The appeal comes at a time when concerns are deepening nationwide about the welfare of lower-court judicial officers, many of whom report inadequate funding, unsafe working conditions, and increasing exposure to security threats.
