86,000 Cases, 270 Staff Lost: Katsina Chief Judge Raises Alarm Over Judiciary’s Manpower Crisis

BY TAIBAT UMMI YAKUBU

The Katsina State judiciary handled more than 86,000 cases in the 2025/2026 legal year, with the state’s Chief Judge, Justice Musa Danladi, calling for urgent recruitment of judicial personnel to prevent manpower shortages from undermining the administration of justice.

Danladi made the appeal on Wednesday in Katsina during the formal opening of the 2026/2027 legal year, where he presented statistics showing the volume of cases handled by the state’s courts and the number of matters resolved during the period.

According to the Chief Judge, the High Court registered 3,667 cases and disposed of 2,492, while the Magistrates’ Courts received 22,842 cases and resolved 14,319.

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The Sharia Courts recorded the highest workload, registering 59,291 cases and disposing of 40,251. Meanwhile, the Multi-Door Court House received 1,422 matters and successfully settled 1,194 through alternative dispute resolution, offering parties an avenue to resolve disputes without going through conventional court proceedings.

Despite the number of cases concluded, Danladi said the judiciary was grappling with a shortage of personnel, a situation he linked to the departure of more than 270 judicial workers between 2018 and July 2026.

The development has raised concerns about the capacity of the courts to sustain efficient justice delivery as they continue to handle a substantial volume of disputes across the state.

The Chief Judge emphasised that recruiting additional personnel was necessary to strengthen court operations, improve efficiency and ensure the judiciary could cope with its growing responsibilities.

The figures presented at the opening of the new legal year highlight both the workload of Katsina’s courts and the need to strengthen the workforce supporting the justice system. With hundreds of personnel having left service over the years, filling existing vacancies could prove crucial to maintaining the pace of judicial proceedings and improving access to justice for residents.