_FCT Minister flags off Jabi Magistrate Court, vows to end “embarrassing” conditions for judicial officers by providing decent housing and modern workspaces.
By Dr. Nafisat Makinde
Abuja, September 2, 2025
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Nyesom Wike, on Tuesday flagged off the construction of a new Magistrate Court complex in Jabi District, Abuja, with a bold pledge to end the humiliating era of judges living as tenants. He vowed that 80 per cent of their housing needs would be addressed before 2027.
Wike described the condition of judicial officers as “embarrassing,” noting that many were forced to operate in poor offices and live in rented apartments. “Sometimes you find judges harassed by landlords who block their cars for unpaid rent. That must end. Before the end of the President’s first tenure, we would have solved 80 per cent of their accommodation problems,” he said.
The Minister disclosed that 20 four-bedroom duplexes for High Court judges will be handed over in October, with another 30 units due by June 2026. He added that beyond the Jabi project, other court complexes are being developed in Asokoro, Garki and near the Villa Fire Service Station to provide magistrates with modern working environments.
Chief Judge of the FCT High Court, Justice Husseini Baba Yusuf, represented by Justice Sylvanus Origi, praised the Minister’s interventions, describing them as “unprecedented.” He cited the provision of staff quarters for the Law School, new housing units for judges, and the automation of the High Court as key reforms reshaping the justice sector.
The Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Engr. Richard Yunana Dauda, said the Jabi project sits on a 3,500 square meter plot and will include six magistrate chambers, a library and offices, while creating jobs during construction. Contractor, Mr. Esco Brown of Poleis Realty, assured that the court will be delivered to the highest standards and on schedule.
