The President of the Court of Appeal (PCA), Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, has called on Nigerians who accuse judges of corruption to provide concrete evidence that would allow relevant institutions to take appropriate action.

Speaking at a special session marking the official commencement of the Court of Appeal’s 2025/2026 legal year, Justice Dongban-Mensem stated:

“We keep hearing of corruption among judges. Please, provide evidence. That is what we need. Since no one has come up with evidence that we are corrupt, I know that we are not corrupt. We are doing our best.”

The PCA expressed concern over criticisms directed at the judiciary when it receives support from the executive, emphasizing that government assistance aids the court’s effectiveness. She also condemned the practice of lawyers encouraging petitions against judges due to dissatisfaction with rulings.

Highlighting the risks judges face, Justice Dongban-Mensem cited the recent murder of a retired Delta State judge in her residence, noting that inadequate security and accommodation remain critical issues. She urged the federal and state governments to extend housing provisions to all judges, not just heads of courts.

“Our sacrifice to the nation is invaluable. We do not pass files to other people; we write our judgments, read the files, and sometimes they are very heavy. People should not begrudge us if we are supported by the government,” she said.

Justice Dongban-Mensem also called on politicians to resolve disputes internally rather than overburden the courts with election-related litigations, emphasizing that repeated court cases drain judicial resources.

The PCA further shared the court’s performance statistics for the 2024/2025 legal year:

• 5,225 appeals and 9,906 motions received
• 3,193 appeals and 5,623 motions determined
• Of appeals concluded, 2,503 dismissed and 690 allowed
• Pending as of October 31, 2025: 31,618 appeals and 3,382 motions

“Compared with 2023/2024, when 2,299 appeals were determined and 41,952 remained pending, the significant reduction in backlog reflects the exceptional commitment and hard work of my brother Justices,” she said.

She also announced ongoing efforts to appoint 11 new justices to fill vacancies and urged the Attorney General of the Federation to impress on the National Assembly the need to pass a pending bill to increase the number of judicial officers for the Court of Appeal.