Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike, has dismissed accusations that new housing for judges amounts to an attempt to undermine judicial independence, insisting the projects fulfil a constitutional duty.
The Minister stated after inspecting major judicial infrastructure in Abuja, including the near-complete Court of Appeal office complex in Dakibiyu, judges’ quarters in Katampe and exclusive residences for court heads in Asokoro.
Critics of the Minister have alleged that the accommodations—ordered by President Bola Tinubu to ease the judiciary’s housing shortages—represent an executive bid to “buy off” judges.
But, Minister Wike rejects this, and has argued that judicial welfare directly affects efficiency and safety.
“You can’t talk about democracy without the judiciary,” he said. “You can’t expect them to work without befitting places to stay. Every arm of government relies on executive funds—so where’s the ‘buying’?”
The FCT Minister highlighted security flaws in past arrangements, where judges sometimes lived near defendants in their cases, and noted prior complaints from the same critics about neglected judicial housing.
The Dakibiyu complex is 90% finished despite rainy-season delays, with inauguration slated for Tinubu’s third anniversary in May.
Katampe’s 40 new homes will serve FCT high court (20), Court of Appeal (10) and Federal High Court (10) judges, while Asokoro’s residences for retiring court presidents and chief judges are due by mid-2026.
Minister Wike also described the initiative as unprecedented: “This is the first time any president has intervened in their housing needs.”
NewsQuest reports that the projects form part of broader efforts to bolster the nation’s judiciary, the third arm of government, amid ongoing debates over its autonomy.
