The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Nyesom Wike, has disclosed that major judicial infrastructure projects initiated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration are nearing completion, marking what he described as an unprecedented intervention to improve the welfare, security and independence of the judiciary.

Wike, who spoke after inspecting several judicial projects in Abuja on Thursday, said the initiatives were in line with a clear directive by President Tinubu to reduce the accommodation burden on judges and justices and provide a conducive environment for them to carry out their constitutional duties.

According to the minister, one of the flagship projects the Court of Appeal Division with a distinct administrative headquarters is already about 85 to 90 per cent completed.

“After the inauguration of Mr. President in May 2023 and our assumption of office in August, one of his clear directives was that we must look seriously at the welfare of the judiciary, especially accommodation and the environment in which they work,” Wike said.

He revealed that the FCT Administration, through the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), is also constructing 40 residential houses for judges: 20 for the FCT High Court, 10 for the Court of Appeal and 10 for the Federal High Court, with similar housing planned for the National Industrial Court.

Wike described the development as historic, noting that it was the first time any Nigerian government had deliberately intervened to provide permanent, purpose-built accommodation for judicial officers.

“When you look around where some judges and justices live, sometimes you don’t even know who their neighbours are whether criminals or people whose cases they are handling. That is not healthy. But now, there will be no renting of houses. They will have their own accommodation, very befitting and in a good environment,” he stated.

The minister further disclosed that special official residences, known as “Houses of Courts,” are also under construction for heads of courts, including the President of the Court of Appeal, the President of the National Industrial Court, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court and the Chief Judge of the FCT High Court.

“We believe that with the speed of work we are seeing, by June or July, these projects would be ready for Mr. President to formally hand over to the judiciary,” Wike said.

Responding to criticisms by some groups who claim the projects could compromise judicial independence, Wike dismissed the allegations as unfounded.

“There is nothing you do that critics will not criticise. Before now, people complained that judges had no befitting places to stay. Now that government is providing it, they say it is an attempt to buy them. How many people can you buy?” he asked.

He stressed that democracy cannot function without a strong and independent judiciary, adding that improving judges’ welfare should not be misconstrued as undue influence.

“You can’t talk about democracy without talking about the judiciary. You also can’t expect them to do their work effectively when they don’t have decent places to live. Even when funds are released to them, it is still the executive that provides those funds,” Wike noted.

On the delayed completion of the Court of Appeal complex, which was earlier scheduled for commissioning last year, the minister attributed the setback to heavy rainfall.

“The rains last year were something else. That affected the timeline. But most of the materials have been ordered and the project is almost completed. We believe it will be inaugurated during the third year of Mr. President’s tenure,” he said.

Wike expressed satisfaction with the quality and pace of work, reaffirming the commitment of the Tinubu administration to strengthening the judiciary as a critical pillar of Nigeria’s democracy.