Magistrates in Ondo State have appealed to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to urgently provide official vehicles for judicial officers, citing safety concerns, loss of dignity, and reduced efficiency caused by reliance on public transportation.
According to The PUNCH, the appeal was made by the Magistrates Association of Nigeria (Ondo State chapter) during a courtesy visit to former senator Bode Olajumoke and the Publisher of Vanguard Media Limited, Sam Amuka, in Akure.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Chief Magistrate Damilola Sekoni said more than 60 magistrates across the state currently lack official vehicles, leaving them to board commercial buses and taxis daily—often alongside individuals facing trial before them.
Sekoni said, “We, on a daily basis, hop on commercial vehicles, most times with criminals and litigants standing trial before us, with the attendant security risk to our individual lives.”
He stressed that the situation not only endangers magistrates but also undermines the dignity of the judiciary and hampers effective service delivery.
Also lending his voice, the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (Akure branch), Onimisi Umar, urged the governor to consider the request, noting that it would go a long way in boosting morale and enhancing judicial performance.
Umar said, “Providing official vehicles will greatly improve the efficiency, safety, and morale of the magistrates. It will also ensure that they are treated with respect befitting their office.”
