Open the Court Now! Soludo Presses for Return of Anambra Appeal Court as Crash Leaves One Dead, Eight Injured.

AWKA, Anambra State: The Anambra State government wants the Court of Appeal back in business. On the same day, grief came to the state's roads: a multiple-vehicle crash claimed one life and left eight others hurt.

Governor Chukwuma Soludo made a forceful plea for the immediate reopening of the Anambra division of the Court of Appeal. He spoke at a church service marking the start of the 2026/2027 Legal Year of the Anambra State Judiciary.

"We are more deserving"

Soludo said his administration remains committed to improving justice delivery, but he voiced concern that the appellate court is still shut. He argued that Anambra generates more litigation than any other state except Lagos, and that this alone justifies keeping the court open. In his words, the state is "more deserving" of an appeal court if merit and need are the yardstick. He said the court should not stay closed for even one more day, and he told its authorities to come and open it.

The governor's appeal adds to growing pressure from the legal community. The Anambra chapter of the Nigerian Bar Association's Committee of Chairmen has also urged the immediate resumption of sittings at the Awka Division, which it says has been closed for over ten months over alleged security threats. The lawyers asked Soludo to engage judicial authorities on reopening the court and to publicly assure the security of justices and court staff.

For lawyers and litigants, the closure is more than a technicality. An appeal court is where a party goes to challenge a lower court's judgment. When it is shut, people with pending appeals may have to travel to other divisions or wait, and legal costs and delays can pile up. Soludo's remarks suggest the state sees the court as essential infrastructure for justice, not a luxury.

Tragedy on the road

Away from the courtroom debate, Anambra was dealing with another painful story. The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) confirmed that one person died and eight others were injured in a multiple-vehicle crash in the state. (vanguardngr)

Rescue operations in such cases usually involve FRSC officials moving victims to hospitals, clearing the wreckage and restoring the flow of traffic. The corps typically also appeals to motorists to obey speed limits and avoid reckless overtaking. Those warnings carry weight on Anambra's busy highways, where one lapse can involve several vehicles and endanger many people.

Two stories, one theme

The two events could hardly look more different, but both touch on safety and public order. One is the safety of the judiciary, which has kept a major court closed for months. The other is the safety of ordinary people on the roads, where lives can change in seconds.

For now, the governor's message is clear: the court should reopen, and quickly. Whether the judicial authorities will respond, and whether the security assurances lawyers have asked for will be given, remains to be seen. As the state waits, the families affected by the crash begin the painful work of recovery and mourning, and the injured wait for healing.

Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.