Amendment of Lagos Magistracy Law: Why law officers also deserve 5-years extension

The proposed amendment to the Lagos State Magistrates' Court Law aims to extend the retirement age of Law Officers from 60 to 65 years, aligning their conditions of service with those of Magistrates. This proposal stems from a harmonization policy approved by the government in October 2021, which has already seen partial implementation. The increase in the retirement age of High Court Judges from 65 to 70 years in 2023 has also had significant institutional consequences for Chief Magistrates and Law Officers, whose retirement age remained at 60 years.