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Tag: Chief Judge

  • Gunmen abduct former Abia Chief Judge

    Gunmen abduct former Abia Chief Judge

    A former Chief Judge of Abia State and Chancellor of the Anglican Diocese of Ohaji/Egbema in Imo State, Justice Nnenna Oti has been kidnapped.
    Justice Oti was abducted on Saturday at Orlu in Imo State on her way to Anambra State.
    The Bishop of Ohaji/Egbema Anglican Diocese, Rt. Revd Chidi Collins Oparaojiaku, canvassed prayers in all churches of the Diocese for safe release of their Chancellor, Justice Nnenna Oti.
    In a statement on Sunday, he called on churches to as a matter of urgency remember the Chancellor in their prayers.
    The Bishop said that her captors have made contact while calling for fervent prayers for safekeeping without molestation and violence.
    Oparaojiaku while praying God to touch the heart of her abductors to release her, expressed hope that God would intervene to see her through.
    When contacted, the Imo Police Command Public Relations Officer, CSP Michael Abatham, promised to get back on the incident.
    He was yet to do so as at the time of filing this report.
  • Jigawa gets substantive Chief Judge

    Jigawa gets substantive Chief Judge

    The Acting Governor of Jigawa, Malam Umar Namadi has sworn-in Justice Umar Sadiq as the substantive Chief Judge of the state.

    Hajiya Zainab Baba-Santali, the Public Relations Officer of the state Ministry of Justice, said in a statement on Tuesday in Dutse that this followed the recommendation of the National Judicial Council (NJC).

    Baba-Santali noted that Gov. Mohammed Badaru accepted the recommendation, and was confirmed by the state House of Assembly in line with Section 271(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).

    “Honorable Justice Umar M. Sadiq is the fourth Chief Judge of Jigawa State who succeeded the immediate past Chief Judge, late Honourable Justice Aminu Ringim, who retired on November 25, 2020.

    “Justice Umar Sadiq is a graduate of law from Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, and was called to the bar in 1989.

    “He began his career as a Magistrate in the defunct Kano State, and he was appointed as Judge of the High Court of Jigawa State in 2000. He is married with children.’’

    Baba-Santali said that the oath of office was administered to the new chief judge by the state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr Musa Adamu.

    She said that the ceremony was witnessed by the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, represented by the Chairman House Committee on Justice and Judiciary, Mr Abubakar Sadiq-Jallo.

    Others she said were the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Adamu Fanini, judicial officers, and lawyers among others.

    The PRO quoted the acting governor as saying the “new chief judge is capable and equal to the task.’’

  • BREAKING: Yobe Chief Judge, Nabaruma is dead

    BREAKING: Yobe Chief Judge, Nabaruma is dead

    The Chief Justice of Yobe State, Honorable Justice Garba Musa Nabaruma has passed on.

    Justice Nabaruma was said to have died in an Abuja hospital after a protracted renal disease, a family source revealed.

    He has served as Yobe number one judicial official for about ten years, having been sworn in since 2011 in that capacity.

    He will be remembered for his humility and kindness at the bench and private life.

  • CJN swears in Justice Tsoho as acting Chief Judge, Federal High Court

    The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Tanko Muhammad, on Friday, swore in Justice John Tsoho as acting Chief Judge (CJ) of the Federal High Court.
    His appointment was sequel to the retirement of Justice Adamu AbdulKafarati, who attained the retirement age of 65 years on July 25.
    Tsoho’s elevation as acting CJ of the Federal High Court was in line with the rules that enables the most senior judge to occupy the office of the CJ when the post is vacant pending the appointment of a substantive chief judge.
    Justice Tsoho who hails from Benue, was born on June 24, 1959 and appointed a judge of the Federal High Court on Nov. 12, 1998.

  • Sanwo-Olu appoints Alogba as acting Chief Judge

    Sanwo-Olu appoints Alogba as acting Chief Judge

    Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has appointed Justice Kazeem Alogba as acting Chief Judge of the state with effect from Tuesday, June 11, 2019.

    The information is in a statement issued by the Deputy Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Gboyega Akosile in Lagos on Monday.

    He stated that Alogba would be in acting capacity, pending the recommendation of the National Judicial Council and subsequent confirmation by the state House of Assembly.

    According to him, the appointment followed the need to prevent a vacuum in the state judiciary, given the imminent retirement of the present Chief Judge, Justice Opeyemi Oke.

    He said Alogba would be sworn in on Thursday at the Lagos House, Alausa.

    Prior to his appointment, Justice Alogba was the most senior of the 58 honourable justices in the state judiciary next to the out-going chief judge.

    Alogba had chaired the Committee on Review of High Court Civil Procedure Rules, which culminated in the new High Court of Lagos (Civil Procedure) Rules of 2019 that came into force on Jan. 31, 2019.

  • Kogi Assembly demands sack of Chief Judge over alleged misconduct

    Kogi Assembly demands sack of Chief Judge over alleged misconduct

    The Kogi State House of Assembly has recommended the removal of the Chief Judge (CJ) of state, Justice Nasir Ajanah, for alleged gross misconduct.

    This followed Tuesday’s adoption of the report and recommendations of the House committee on public account, which indicted the Kogi State High Court and Kogi Hajj Commission of financial breaches.

    The House said that the Chief Judge could step aside to defend himself over the indictment by the auditor general of the state.

    The House also recommended punitive measures on those indicated, to “avoid a reoccurrence.”

    It however directed the state government to urgently resume payment of salaries of judicial workers.

    Committee Report 30 of the House Committee on Public Accounts on the State’s Auditor General’s on the 2016 Financial Statements (Budget Performance Analysis on Personnel Cost, Overheads, Capital Expenditure and Revenue Performance of Kogi State for the Year Ended 31st December, 2016), was presented by Hon. Ahmed Mohammed, Committee Chairman.

    It would be recalled that Kogi judicial staff members have been on strike for close to six months over unresolved differences between the judicial arm and executive, arising from their alleged non submission to the staff payroll verification exercise embarked on by government late last year.

    The judicial arm had earlier alleged of plans by Governor Yahaya Bello to remove Ajanah from office.

    Kogi Speaker Prince Mathew Kolawole had however denied knowledge of such plan.

  • Gov Bello collaborating with Kogi Speaker to sack Chief Judge – Judiciary alleges

    Gov Bello collaborating with Kogi Speaker to sack Chief Judge – Judiciary alleges

    The judicial arm of the Kogi State government has alleged plans by Governor Yahaya Bello to sack Justice Nasir Ajanah from office.

    The judicial service in a statement issued on Tuesday, which was signed by Saqeeb Saeed, Senior Information Officer, Kogi State Judiciary, alleged that the plot being hatched by the governor to remove Ajanah as the state’s chief judge, is to use the speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly to illegally remove the chief law officer in the state.

    The statement read: “Events in the last few days have made it necessary for the Kogi State Judiciary to issue this press statement. The Kogi State Judiciary is aware of clandestine moves by His Excellency, the Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello to use the Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly to illegally remove the Chief Judge of the State, Hon. Justice Nasiru Ajanah, from office over some trumped up allegations.

    “This dangerous and ill-advised move is coming from the executive inspite of the fact that the matter is now before the National Judicial Council (NJC), and there is a subsisting court order restraining the governor from doing so.

    “The governor is advised not to do anything that will plunge the state into an unnecessary constitutional crisis. Rather, he should obey the rule of law and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which he swore to uphold.

    “Meanwhile workers of the judiciary should remain calm, as the rule of law shall prevail at the end.”

    As at the time of filing the report, activities at the state assembly indicate there are moves in the offing to ease Ajanah out from office as the Kogi CJ.

    It would be recalled that judicial staff members in the state had on Monday marched through some major streets of the capital, Lokoja, protesting the alleged plan to sack Ajanah as CJ.

    The speaker, Prince Mathew Kolawole, had however denied knowledge of such plan.

    Kolawole who was at the government house on Monday, responded to reporters’ enquiry on the issue in the negative, saying he was unaware of the name(s) of such person(s) making the allegations.

  • Osun chief judge releases 32 inmates

    Osun chief judge releases 32 inmates

    Thirty-two awaiting trial inmates from the two prison formations in Ilesha and Ile Ife, Osun state, have been released by the state’s Chief Judge, Adepele Ojo.

    The inmates were released during the Chief Judge and Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice’s jail delivery exercise at Ilesha and Ile Ife prisons.

    Three other inmates were also granted bail, with various conditions attached.

    The Chief Judge pardoned 22 inmates and granted bail to three others at Ilesa Prison, while ten inmates were released at Ile-Ife Medium Security Prison.

    Earlier, while welcoming the Chief judge and her team, the Controller of Prisons, Osun State Command, Mr Segun Oluwasemire, commended Justice Ojo, members of his panel, Directorate of Public Prosecution and Legal Aid Council, for the effort to decongest prisons in the state.

    The Controller pleaded with the Chief Judge, to release as many as 50 inmates from prisons in the state.

    In her remarks, Justice Ojo, said the visit was organised to mark the commencement of the 2018/2019 Legal year of High Court of Justice of Osun State.

    A statement signed by ASP Olusola Adeotan, the Public Relations Officer, Nigeria Prison Service, Osun State Command, explained that Justice Ojo was statutorily empowered by Criminal Justice (Release from custody) (Special Prison) Act, CAP. 40. Section 1(I)(a) & (b), to carry out the release.

    Justice Ojo, also assured of the commitment of the administration of Governor Gboyega Oyetola, the State House of Assembly and the State High Court, to decongest prisons in the state.

    She enjoined those released from prison to put to positive use, skills acquired while in prison.

     

  • Ogun assembly confirms Dipeolu as new Chief Judge

    Ogun assembly confirms Dipeolu as new Chief Judge

    The Ogun House of Assembly on Thursday confirmed the appointment of Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu as the new Chief Judge of the state.
    Mr Olakunle Oluomo (APC-Ifo 1), the Deputy Speaker, moved the motion for the confirmation of the new Chief Judge during plenary in Abeokuta, seconded by Adebowale Ojuri (APC-Odogbolu).
    Reading the report of committee on selection before the confirmation, Oluomo, said that the committee had thoroughly screened the nominee on Wednesday.
    He said the nominee was found to be eligible and suitable to be the new Chief Judge of the state.
    The Deputy Speaker moved the motion for the adoption of the report, which Mr Tunde Sanusi (APC-Obafemi Owode), seconded.
    Also during the plenary, the lawmakers expressed concern over the non-implementation of financial autonomy to the assembly since it was assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari over four months ago.
    In his submission, Oluomo said that both the State House of Assembly and the judiciary still depended on the executives for fund.
    Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari, on June 8, assented to a bill granting autonomy to the state houses of assembly and the judiciary.
    “I observe that since that time we have not derived benefit since the assent of Mr President.
    “One believes that the compound reading of the constitution shows that any bill that is assented to by the President becomes operational with immediate effect.
    “Up till date in Ogun State, we have not derived the benefit of that assent by the President.
    “The money that is due to the judiciary and the Ogun House of Assembly has not been coming to us as a matter of right, aside from the old practice of having to seek approval from the governor on monthly basis,’’ he said.
    Oluomo urged the Speaker, Mr Suraj Adekunbi (APC-Yewa North 1), to liaise with those that are necessary in order to make the law implementable in Ogun with immediate effect.
    Responding, the Speaker said that the conference of Speakers at the national level had been liaising with governors forum on how best to put financial autonomy in practice.
    He assured that the issue would be resolved soon.
    NAN

  • NJC condemns Ikpeazu’s removal of Abia Chief Judge, suspends acting CJ

    The National Judicial Council has condemned and described as illegal the removal of the chief judge of Abia State,Theresa Uzokwe, by the state’s House of Assembly last week.

    The council also queried and suspended Obisike Orji, the newly appointed judge (acting).

    The regulatory body, NJC, made its decision known in a statement on Wednesday.

    The statement reads in full:

    PRESS RELEASE

    National Judicial Council declares the suspension of Hon. Justice T. U. Uzokwe, Chief Judge, Abia State unconstitutional.

    It queries and suspends the State sworn-in Acting Chief Judge.

    The National Judicial Council under the Chairmanship of the Honourable, Mr. Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen, GCON, at its Emergency Meeting which held today, 31st January, 2018, considered the recent suspension of the Abia State Chief Judge, Hon. Mr. Justice T. U. Uzokwe and the swearing-in of Hon. Mr. Justice Obisike Orji as the Acting Chief Judge of the State by Governor Okezie Victor Ikpeazu and agreed that the decision to suspend the Chief Judge and the swearing-in of an Acting Chief Judge without the input of the National Judicial Council is unconstitutional, null and void.

    It noted that its attention had been drawn to the crisis in Abia State Judiciary by petitions written against Hon. Mr. Justice T.U. Uzokwe and the one written by the Chief Judge against Hon. Mr. Justice C. U. Okoroafor, but in the course of the investigation by the Committees set up by Council, some elderly Judicial Officers of Abia State Judiciary waded in and pleaded with the Committees to allow the matter to be resolved amicably by them, which was granted by Council at its plenary.

    At the last Meeting of Council which was held on 6th December, 2017, Council directed the Committees to continue and conclude with the petitions before them if there were no reports of the settlement by the peace makers. While this was going on, the problem escalated and Council was informed of the suspension of Hon. Mr. Justice Uzokwe and the swearing-in of Hon. Mr. Justice Obisike Orji as the Acting Chief Judge.

    In view of the foregoing, Council resolved as follows:

    1) The suspension of the Chief Judge of Abia State by the State House of Assembly without a prior recommendation by the National Judicial Council violates the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    2) Consequently, the subsequent act of appointing and swearing-in of Hon. Mr. Justice Obisike Orji as the Acting Chief Judge is invalid for being unconstitutional.

    3) Furthermore, the conduct of Hon. Mr. Justice Obisike Orji in presenting himself to be sworn-in raises potential questions of misconduct that Council is now looking into.

    4) Council therefore resolved to query and suspend the Hon. Mr. Justice Obisike Orji pending the outcome of its investigation.

    5) In view of the recent escalation, Council, in the interest of the smooth administration of justice in Abia State, resolved to direct the Chief Judge, Hon. Mr. Justice T. U. Uzokwe, to stay away from duties pending Council’s final decision after consideration of the report of its Panels.

    6) In the prevailing circumstance, whereby the National Judicial Council has directed the Chief Judge not to perform his duties, and the next most senior Judge is suspended, the Governor of Abia State shall appoint Hon. Mr. Justice Onuoha Arisa Kalu Ogwe, the next most senior Judge to act as the Chief Judge of Abia State, pending Council’s final resolution of the matter.

    SOJI OYE, ESQ.