Supreme Court plans to increase number of justices.

The Supreme Court on Thursday said it planned to increase the number of its Justices to 21 to enable it to cope with the increasing workload.

Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu, announced this while administering oaths of office on two justices of the apex court in Abuja.

He said the move was not only to fast track the dispensation of justice but also to clear both the accumulated cases and the new ones.

Katsina-Alu reiterated his call on judicial officers to live up to the spirit and letter of their oaths of office by sustaining the confidence of the nation's judiciary.

He said the courts could not be completely isolated from the canker worm of corruption.

Those sworn-in were Justices Suleiman Galadima and Bode Rhodes-Vivour.

Galadima was until his new appointment, a Justice of the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt Division, while Rhodes-Vivour served at the Jos Division of the Court of Appeal.

Galadima is from the North Central Zone of the country while Rhodes-Vivour is from the South West zone.

Speaking on the need for the appointment of more justices of the apex court, the CJN noted that if the present number of 15 justices of the court was maintained, ``it will not be feasible for them to hear and dispose of cases expeditiously’’.

Katsina-Alu said that between July 2009 and September 2010, a total of 905 cases were filed before the court, comprising civil appeals, civil motions and criminal appeals and originating summons.

He said section 230 (2) of the 1999 Constitution states that: ``The Supreme Court shall consist of the Chief Justice of Nigeria and such number of Justices of the court, not exceeding 21, as may be prescribed by an Act of the National Assembly.’’

Katsina-Alu said the NJC would not hesitate to dismiss any erring judicial officer in line with its constitutional powers.