Lagos AG Proposes Retirement Age Amendment for Magistrates

Lawal Pedro (SAN), the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Lagos State, announced a proposed amendment to the Magistrates Law intended to extend the retirement age of Magistrates and Law Officers. This amendment aims to address an imbalance in the justice sector's career progression.

Pedro clarified that this is a Private Member’s Bill currently under consideration by the Lagos State House of Assembly, not an Executive Bill from his office. He emphasized that the amendment is part of a long-standing policy to harmonize the conditions of service for Law Officers and Magistrates, a practice initiated in Lagos since 1997.

Other states, including Abia, Kogi, Benue, Imo, and Kwara, have enacted similar laws. The AG noted that the proposed reform is necessary due to the unintended consequences of the constitutional extension of retirement age for High Court Judges, as outlined in Section 291(1) of the 1999 Constitution, altered by the Fifth Alteration (No. 37) Act 2023.