The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, on Friday
admonished the newly appointed 19 judges of the National Industrial
Court to check impunity in the country by adhering to the law.
Justice Onnoghen gave this charge after swearing in the new
judges at the special court of the Supreme Court in Abuja.
He said, “When you need to take hard decisions, take it; heavens
will not fall. Heaven has never fallen because of anybody’s
judgment.
“We can only checkmate impunity through adherence to the
law.”
He urged the judges to be guided by the oaths of allegiance to
the Nigerian Constitution and their office.
He added that if they allowed themselves to be guided by the
Constitution, laws of the land, and their conscience, they would
never go wrong.
He said, “I want to advise judicial officers, particularly those
of you that have just been sworn in, to always be guided by the
Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the laws and your
conscience.
“I assure you that as judicial officers, if you remain true to
the oaths of your office, you have no problem; anything you need to
function in that office is contained in the oath of office.
“If you allow yourself to be guided by the Constitution of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria, the law, and your conscience, you can
never go wrong.
“Two persons you cannot deceive — yourself and your God.”
The swearing-in ceremony was followed by Acting President Yemi
Osinbajo’s earlier approval of the recommendation of the National
Judicial Council for the appointment of the new 19 judicial
officers.
The newly sworn-in judges with their states of origin are,
Targema John Iorngee (Benue), Namtari Mahmood Abba (Adamawa),
Nweneka Gerald Ikechi (Rivers), Kado Sanusi (Katsina), Adeniyi
Sinmisola Oluyinka (Ogun), Abiola Adunola Adewemimo (Osun) Opeloye
Ogunbowale (Lagos), Essien Isaac Jeremiah (Akwa-Ibom) and Elizabeth
Ama Oji (Ebonyi) .
Others are, Arowosegbe Olukayode Ojo (Ondo), Ogbuanya Nelson S.
Chukwudi (Enugu), Bashir Zaynab Mohammed (Niger), Galadima Ibrahim
Suleiman (Nasarawa), Bassi Paul Ahmed (Borno), Danjidda Salisu
Hamisu (Kano), Hamman Idi Polycarp (Taraba), Damulak Kiyersohot
Dashe (Plateau), Alkali Bashar Attahiru (Sokoto), and Mustapha
Tijjani (Jigawa).
With the 19 new judges sworn in on Friday, the number of the
judges of the NIC rose from 20, including the President of the
court, Justice Babatunde Adejumo, to 39.
The NIC currently has divisions in 19 states of the federation
and Abuja.
The swearing-in ceremony was attended by family members and
friends of the new judges.
Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State, the President of the
National Industrial Court, Justice Adejumo, some retired and
serving judges of NIC and other courts, as well as some lawyers,
were also present at the event.
With the CJN on the bench, where he presided over the
administering of the oaths to the new judges were 11 Justices of
the Supreme Court.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, on Friday
admonished the newly appointed 19 judges of the National Industrial
Court to check impunity in the country by adhering to the
law.
Justice Onnoghen gave this charge after swearing in the new
judges at the special court of the Supreme Court in Abuja.
He said, “When you need to take hard decisions, take it; heavens
will not fall. Heaven has never fallen because of anybody’s
judgment.
“We can only checkmate impunity through adherence to the
law.”
He urged the judges to be guided by the oaths of allegiance to
the Nigerian Constitution and their office.
He added that if they allowed themselves to be guided by the
Constitution, laws of the land, and their conscience, they would
never go wrong.
He said, “I want to advise judicial officers, particularly those
of you that have just been sworn in, to always be guided by the
Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the laws and your
conscience.
“I assure you that as judicial officers, if you remain true to
the oaths of your office, you have no problem; anything you need to
function in that office is contained in the oath of office.
“If you allow yourself to be guided by the Constitution of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria, the law, and your conscience, you can
never go wrong.
“Two persons you cannot deceive — yourself and your God.”
The swearing-in ceremony was followed by Acting President Yemi
Osinbajo’s earlier approval of the recommendation of the National
Judicial Council for the appointment of the new 19 judicial
officers.
The newly sworn-in judges with their states of origin are,
Targema John Iorngee (Benue), Namtari Mahmood Abba (Adamawa),
Nweneka Gerald Ikechi (Rivers), Kado Sanusi (Katsina), Adeniyi
Sinmisola Oluyinka (Ogun), Abiola Adunola Adewemimo (Osun) Opeloye
Ogunbowale (Lagos), Essien Isaac Jeremiah (Akwa-Ibom) and Elizabeth
Ama Oji (Ebonyi) .
Others are, Arowosegbe Olukayode Ojo (Ondo), Ogbuanya Nelson S.
Chukwudi (Enugu), Bashir Zaynab Mohammed (Niger), Galadima Ibrahim
Suleiman (Nasarawa), Bassi Paul Ahmed (Borno), Danjidda Salisu
Hamisu (Kano), Hamman Idi Polycarp (Taraba), Damulak Kiyersohot
Dashe (Plateau), Alkali Bashar Attahiru (Sokoto), and Mustapha
Tijjani (Jigawa).
With the 19 new judges sworn in on Friday, the number of the
judges of the NIC rose from 20, including the President of the
court, Justice Babatunde Adejumo, to 39.
The NIC currently has divisions in 19 states of the federation
and Abuja.
The swearing-in ceremony was attended by family members and
friends of the new judges.
Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State, the President of the
National Industrial Court, Justice Adejumo, some retired and
serving judges of NIC and other courts, as well as some lawyers,
were also present at the event.
With the CJN on the bench, where he presided over the
administering of the oaths to the new judges were 11 Justices of
the Supreme Court.
Read more https://nairalaw.com/checkmate-impunity-by-adhering-to-law-cjn-tells-19-new-judges/