The Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro, SAN, has clarified that the controversial bill seeking to raise the retirement age of magistrates and law officers is not an executive-sponsored proposal.
Pedro said the bill currently before the Lagos State House of Assembly is a Private Member’s Bill and was not sponsored by his office or the state executive.
The clarification came amid growing public discussion over the proposed amendment to the Lagos Magistrates Law and questions about why the state was considering extending the retirement age for certain judicial and legal officers.
According to the Attorney-General, the proposal is intended to address structural challenges within the justice sector and should be considered within the context of Lagos State’s longstanding policy of harmonising the conditions of service of law officers with those of magistrates.
Pedro explained that the harmonisation policy dates back to 1997, following a government circular issued on March 20 of that year, and was not created specifically by the current administration to provide a new privilege for law officers.
He also noted that similar arrangements have been adopted through legislation in several other states, including Abia, Kogi, Benue, Imo, Kwara and Osun, indicating that Lagos would not be introducing an entirely unprecedented framework.
The Attorney-General said the proposed amendment should therefore be viewed as a continuation of an existing policy rather than the creation of a special benefit for a particular category of public servants.
The bill has attracted attention because it seeks to increase the retirement age of magistrates from 60 to 65, with the proposal also extending to law officers involved in the administration of justice.
The Lagos State House of Assembly had earlier advanced the Lagos Magistrate Courts Amendment Bill 2026, with the proposed change coming against concerns about the workload carried by magistrates and the loss of experienced judicial personnel.
Pedro said another important factor behind the proposal was the constitutional change that increased the retirement age of High Court judges from 65 to 70 years.
He explained that before the constitutional amendment, regular vacancies on the High Court Bench created opportunities for experienced chief magistrates and senior law officers to progress to higher positions within the justice system.
With High Court judges now able to remain in service for longer, however, fewer vacancies are being created, meaning experienced magistrates and senior law officers may reach the age of 60 without the same opportunity for career progression that previously existed.
According to Pedro, this has created an unintended imbalance in the career structure of Lagos State’s justice sector, with experienced personnel potentially being forced out of service despite possessing institutional knowledge and professional expertise that could still benefit the system.
The proposed amendment is therefore designed to retain experienced officers for longer while creating a more coherent career structure for magistrates and law officers, he said.
Pedro added that retaining such personnel could also strengthen succession planning, mentorship and the transfer of institutional knowledge to younger judicial and legal practitioners.
The proposed provision would allow a magistrate or law officer to voluntarily retire upon reaching 60, while making retirement compulsory at 65 or after 40 years in service, whichever comes earlier.
The Attorney-General also stressed that the proposed reform is specifically targeted at law officers who form part of the specialised professional cadre involved in the administration of justice and should not be interpreted as an attempt to extend the retirement age of lawyers generally.
He further cited Osun State as an example of another state that has legislated changes affecting the retirement age of officers involved in the administration of justice, pointing to its 2023 law that raised the retirement age for certain judicial personnel, including state counsel and court registrars, to 65.
Pedro urged members of the public to assess the Lagos proposal based on its rationale, legislative origin and potential implications for the justice system rather than through political or emotional interpretations.
The clarification is particularly significant because the controversy surrounding the proposal had created the impression in some quarters that the Lagos State Executive Council or Ministry of Justice had directly sponsored the amendment.
By distinguishing the bill from an Executive Bill, the Attorney-General has placed responsibility for the legislative initiative within the House of Assembly while explaining why his ministry considers the underlying policy reasonable.
The bill remains subject to legislative consideration, meaning its provisions could still be debated, amended or rejected before becoming law.
For Lagos’ justice sector, the outcome could determine whether magistrates and law officers will have a longer period to serve and contribute their experience, while also shaping how the state manages career progression following the constitutional extension of High Court judges’ retirement age.