By Eshioromeh Sebastian
Abia State’s justice system is set for a significant infrastructural overhaul, with Governor Alex Otti revealing that construction of two ultra-modern court complexes, one each in Umuahia and Aba, will begin next month.
The governor also announced that 10 newly constructed courthouses spread across the state are ready for commissioning, with five scheduled to be inaugurated before the end of the year and the remaining five in the first quarter of next year. Each of the proposed court complexes, according to him, will include a 1,000-capacity auditorium.
Otti made the disclosures on Monday in Umuahia at a thanksgiving service marking the opening of the 2026/2027 legal year of the Abia State Judiciary, held at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Chapel, Federal Medical Centre. The legal year is themed “The Bar, The Bench, and The Administration of Justice: Strengthening the Cords That Bind.”
Speaking at the event, the governor said the projects reflect his administration’s conviction that the physical environment in which justice is administered directly affects the quality of outcomes. He told judicial officers that by the time the legal year’s activities conclude, an additional 10 courthouses built by his government should be ready for inauguration.
On the delayed Ukwa East courthouse, Otti blamed the contractor’s poor performance, disclosing that the contract had been terminated and would be re-awarded to a more competent firm.
The governor said the new projects build on a reform programme already underway in the state’s judiciary, which has seen the renovation and retrofitting of dilapidated courtrooms across the three senatorial zones, the purchase of new official vehicles for judges, improved welfare and working conditions for judicial officers, and the deployment of ICT tools as part of efforts to digitalise court processes and accelerate justice delivery.
He added that his administration would extend digitalisation to the executive and legislature, describing it as a means of improving efficiency and making public services easier for citizens to access.
Otti also used the occasion to reaffirm his respect for the judiciary’s constitutional independence, saying cooperation among the three arms of government should not erode their distinct roles.
“The judiciary is a very important part of government. There is no way the Executive or the Legislature can function effectively without the judiciary. But then, the lines are also very clear. One thing you can be sure of with us is that we will always maintain those lines,” he said.
He commended the state judiciary for what he described as its commitment to due process, saying his government had received maximum support from the bench in that regard.
The service, conducted by the Anglican Bishop of Umuahia Diocese, the Rt. Rev. Geoffrey Ibeabuchi, was attended by members of the State Executive Council, the Chief Judge of Abia State, Hon. Justice Lilian Abai, judges, chief registrars, magistrates, chairmen of customary courts, and members of the Bar and Bench.
