Retired magistrates in Lagos State are receiving pensions as low as N23,000 a month after decades on the bench, a lawyer advocating for the lower courts has said, raising fresh concerns about their welfare.
Bayo Akinlade, National Convener of Citizens Support for Lower Courts, said about 23 magistrates have retired from the Lagos State Magistracy since 2013, with one or two more expected to leave before the end of the year. The least experienced among them spent roughly 22 years in service.
Akinlade noted that the retired magistrates left at Grade Levels 16 and 17. He estimated that, based on an average of 300 cases a year, each would have handled thousands of matters during their careers. Collectively, he said, they dealt with more than 60,000 cases involving billions of naira, including matters that led to prison terms and fines.
Despite that workload, many now face financial hardship. “What is their pension? Well depending on the contributory pension plan they had, some are paid as low as N23k per month. Imagine that!” Akinlade said. He also alleged that some retired magistrates have received no pension payments at all two years after leaving service.
With Lagos’s population exceeding 18 million, fewer than 130 magistrates currently sit on the bench. Akinlade said the retirees “served Lagos State and its 18 million-plus citizens but they struggled to make ends meet, they struggled to raise their kids and give them adequate shelter.”
He added that many now contend with health problems, young children still at home, or difficulty paying rent. Nearly half of the retired magistrates are women who, he said, have limited support while carrying family responsibilities. Male retirees also face pressure as traditional providers. Some have become dependents.
Akinlade contrasted their situation with that of senior officials in the executive arm who can retire as permanent secretaries or directors with greater privileges. Magistrates, he said, do not even have health insurance.
Against the background of an ongoing review of the Magistrates Courts Law in Lagos State, Akinlade called on the state government to ease the hardship faced by the retired magistrates. He also urged the leadership of the Nigerian Bar Association to speak up on their behalf.
“We cannot abandon them now. We need to strengthen our legal framework to protect them and those who will eventually join their ranks,” he said. “They served Lagos State, it’s time Lagos State acknowledge that service and protect them in their most vulnerable moments.”
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