News

Strike: Judiciary workers stop Abuja judges from entering Abuja courts

Published

1 month ago

June 3, 2024

Strike: Judiciary workers stop Abuja judges from entering Abuja courts

Members of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), on Monday, locked out judges, lawyers, staff and litigants from accessing courts in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in compliance with the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC)’s directive.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)’s check at the FCT High Court, Maitama; Federal High Court (FHC); Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, showed that court activities were totally paralysed as JUSUN members positioned themselves outside the heavily locked gates.

At Federal High Court, Abuja, private security guards and few police officers were also sighted around the court gates as lawyers, litigants, visitors, including journalists, were not allowed entry into the courts’ premises.

Comrade Samuel Ikpatt, Chairman of the FHC Chapter of JUSUN, in an interview with NAN, said the union was in total compliance with the directive of the NLC that workers should down tool beginning from today.

“We are the affiliate of NLC. So we are in total compliance with the strike action, including all our divisions,” he said.

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According to him, no court is sitting.

When asked if lawyers are being allowed to gain access into the high-rise building, he said: “There is nobody inside the courts because we are in total compliance with the directive.”

On when the gate would be opened, Ikpatt said: “Until when we get directive from our parent body, which is the NLC.”

Also speaking, Comrade Mohammed Danjuma-Yusuf, who is the Treasurer of JUSUN Chapter of Court of Appeal, told NAN that they were complying with the NLC’s directive.

“So Court of Appeal is in total shutdown; 100 per cent compliance. All the 20 branches of Court of Appeal is in total shutdown. Nobody is allowed in, even judges,” he said.

Danjuma-Yusuf said the gate would be opened when the union received a directive from the national headquarters of NLC.

NAN reports that the NLC and TUC had, on May 31, declared an indefinite strike, beginning from today, June 3.

The organised labour decided to embark on industrial action after the negotiations between them and the government over the minimum wage of workers was deadlock.

Strike: Judiciary workers stop Abuja judges from entering Abuja courts

(NAN)

News

Court of Appeal nullifies expulsion of Rivers assembly lawmakers

Published

12 hours ago

July 4, 2024

Trends Admin

Martin Amaewhule

Court of Appeal nullifies expulsion of Rivers assembly lawmakers

In a significant legal decision, the Court of Appeal in Abuja has nullified the expulsion of Martin Amaewhule and 24 other lawmakers from the Rivers State House of Assembly.

This ruling overturns an earlier decision by the Rivers State High Court, which had ordered their expulsion.

The appellate court’s judgment emphasized that, according to Section 272(3) of the Nigerian Constitution, the Federal High Court holds the exclusive jurisdiction to determine if a House of Assembly member’s seat has become vacant. By specifically mentioning the Federal High Court, the Constitution excludes state high courts from having such authority.

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The court declared the ex parte order issued by the Rivers State High Court as null and void due to a lack of jurisdiction.

The lawmakers involved, who are loyal to the immediate former governor of the state and current Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, had defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) amid a conflict between Wike and the current Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.

Court of Appeal nullifies expulsion of Rivers assembly lawmakers

(SaharaReporters)

News

Ganduje probe: Two Kano judges get 48-hour court order to resign

Published

13 hours ago

July 4, 2024

Trends Admin

National chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Ganduje

Ganduje probe: Two Kano judges get 48-hour court order to resign

A Federal High Court in Kano, led by Justice Simon Amobeda, has mandated two judges, Justice Farouk Lawan Adamu and Justice Zuwaira Yusuf, to resign from their appointments as heads of two separate judicial commissions within 48 hours.

This directive targets appointments made by Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf. Justice Adamu was appointed to lead the Judicial Commission of Inquiry for the Recovery of Misappropriated Public Properties and Assets, while Justice Yusuf was appointed to head the Judicial Commission of Inquiry on Political Violence and Missing Persons.

Justice Amobeda’s ruling followed a case filed by former governor Abdullahi Ganduje, who sought to prevent Governor Yusuf from investigating his administration.

The judge ruled that if the two judges fail to comply within the 48-hour timeframe, the National Judicial Council (NJC) will halt their salaries and benefits.

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The court highlighted that judges should not engage in executive functions assigned by the governor, as their primary role is to adjudicate disputes in court. Justice Amobeda emphasized that the governor’s action to appoint these judges to the commissions without appealing an earlier judgment by Justice A. Liman was an abuse of office.

Justice Liman had ruled that only the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) or the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) could investigate Ganduje.

Justice Amobeda underscored that the governor does not have the authority to appoint the judges to these commissions, stating that this move undermines the judicial arm of government and violates the doctrine of separation of powers. The judge ordered that the judges must step down from their commission roles and return to their judicial duties exclusively, or face the cessation of their judicial remuneration.

Respondents in this case include the National Judicial Council (NJC), the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, the Attorney-General of Kano State, and the two judges, Justice Farouk Lawan Adamu and Justice Zuwaira Yusuf.

Ganduje probe: Two Kano judges get 48-hour court order to resign

News

Electricity: Lagos gets 13 new Band A feeders (FULL LIST)

Published

13 hours ago

July 4, 2024

Trends Admin

Electricity: Lagos gets 13 new Band A feeders (FULL LIST)

Lagos State has received an additional 13 Band A feeders following approval from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

NERC on Wednesday approved the upgrade of 13 more feeders from Band B to Band A for Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKDC), Lagos, confirmed the development in a statement on its X handle.

“Premised on our demonstrated ability to consistently provide a minimum of 20 hours of daily availability during a performance evaluation period monitored by the regulator, we are pleased to announce that we have obtained approval to add 13 Band A feeders to our network,” IKDC said.

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It added that the newly-upgraded Band A feeders are OgbalNJ-T3-Agege, AlimoshoINJ-T8-Okunola, OworolNJ-T3-Anthony, AdeniyiJonesINJ-T1-Anifowoshe, IsheriINJ-T1-Bankole and Adeniyi JonesINJ-T1-Ajao.