The Lagos State Government has clarified that the proposed amendment to the Magistrates’ Law before the State House of Assembly was not initiated as an executive bill but is a private member’s bill aimed at addressing structural challenges within the justice system.
The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro, SAN, said the clarification became necessary following the controversy surrounding the proposed legislation and the need to explain its origin, objectives and policy background.
Pedro said, contrary to the perception in some quarters, his office did not sponsor the amendment, adding that the proposal was independently introduced and is currently undergoing legislative consideration by the Assembly.
He explained that the Ministry of Justice’s position on the matter was based on a longstanding government policy concerning the harmonisation of the conditions of service of law officers and Magistrates.
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According to him, the policy has existed in Lagos since 1997, following the issuance of a government circular.
Pedro noted that Lagos was not alone in adopting such a framework, as states including Abia, Kogi, Benue, Imo and Kwara had also enacted laws aimed at achieving parity between law officers and Magistrates in remuneration and other conditions of service.
He therefore said the proposed amendment should be understood as an extension of an established policy rather than an attempt to introduce new privileges for a particular category of officers.
The Attorney-General also cited Osun State, where a law enacted in 2023 raised the retirement age of personnel involved in the administration of justice, including state counsel and court registrars, to 65 years.
Pedro explained that the development was partly influenced by the 2023 constitutional amendment that increased the retirement age of High Court judges from 65 to 70 years.
He said that before the constitutional amendment, regular vacancies on the High Court Bench provided opportunities for experienced Chief Magistrates and senior law officers to progress to higher positions.
However, the extension of judges’ retirement age has reduced the frequency of such vacancies, according to Pedro, thereby narrowing opportunities for career advancement within the lower judiciary and the Ministry of Justice.
He said the proposed amendment was intended to address the resulting imbalance by establishing a more coherent career structure and ensuring that experienced personnel remained in service for a reasonable period.
Pedro maintained that the reform was designed to promote fairness, strengthen stability within the justice system and improve succession planning through mentorship and the transfer of institutional knowledge.
He added that if passed, the legislative intervention would support the continued development of Lagos State’s justice system while enabling the government to benefit from the experience and expertise of its most seasoned judicial and legal officers.
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