Supreme Court delivers 297 judgments in 2017/2018 legal year

The Supreme Court said it delivered 297 judgments by the close
of the 2017/2018 legal year.

Justice Walter Onnoghen, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN),
disclosed this on Monday in an address at the special session to
mark the commencement of the 2018/2019 Legal Year in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ceremony also
witnessed the swearing-in of 30 new Senior Advocates of
Nigeria.

Mr Onnoghen further said the court considered 1,540 matters
comprising motions, appeals and judgments.

The CJN said the court treated 824 civil and 273 criminal
motions totaling 1097.

According to him, the court has also considered 438 appeals
comprising 246 civil and 192 criminal.

“A total of 297 judgments were delivered by the close of the
2017/2018 legal year.

“This is by all means an impressive report considering the
persistent and increasing volume of the cases that continued to
come before the court.

“I attribute this impressive performance to the hard work of
judicial officers, support staff and the reforms we are
implementing to improve justice delivery.

“As we sit daily and sometimes conduct special sittings to clear
backlog of cases, we remain committed to expeditious dispensation
of justice.

“As we acknowledge noticeable improvement in the disposition of
cases, we are not resting on our laurels. This court will therefore
continue to strive for speedy disposal of cases that come before
us,’’ Onnohgen said.

On the international scene, the CJN said the country’s justice
reform had attracted recognition and reward.

“I was recently conferred with the Michael Hill Prize by the
International Society for the Reform of Criminal Law in Montreal,
Canada.

“I was also in Vienna, Austria at the launch of the Global
Judicial Integrity Network by the United Nations Office on Drugs in
April.

“I am happy to inform you that one of our judges, Justice Kashim
Zannah, Chief Judge of Borno State, was nominated to serve on the
Advisory Board of this important body,’’ the CJN said.

Meanwhile, Mr Onnoghen urged the newly sworn-in Senior Advocates
of Nigeria to shun corruption, adding that the system would not
hesitate to withdraw such privilege from anyone who abused the
rank.

“The rank is the zenith of the legal practice and the highest
honour conferred by noble profession.

“It is rare privilege bestowed on eminently deserving members of
the Bar who have distinguished themselves in the knowledge,
practice of and contribution to the law, having passed through
rigorous processes,” Mr Onnoghen said.

Abubakar Malami, the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF),
said the commencement of the new legal year offered an opportunity
to reflect on the challenges of the past year and to review the
strategies to confront them.

Mr Malami, the Minister of Justice, said the occasion provided
legal practitioners another opportunity to rededicate themselves to
the rule of law.

The AGF, represented by Dayo Aptata, the Solicitor-General of
the Federation, said the administration of President Muhammadu
Buhari would continue to ensure the independence of the Judicial
and Legislative arms of government.

According to the AGF, such independence will ensure that the two
arms of government play their constitutional roles in a more robust
manner.

“His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, earlier in the
year, assented to the 4th Alteration to the 1999 Constitution,
which amended Section 121 of the Constitution.

“This is to provide that monies due to the judiciary in the
Annual Budget should henceforth be paid directly to the heads of
the courts and that of the legislature also paid to the heads
thereof.

“This alteration, without doubt, finally answers to the need to
have more independent and impartial courts at the federal and state
levels and will certainly advance the cause of the Rule of Law in
our country,’’ he said.

Also, Mr Malami expressed delight that the country’s judicial
system continued to enrich the inner bar with experienced
hands.

The AGF said the roll call of lawyers sworn-in as Senior
Advocates of Nigeria was indicative of the quality of legal
practitioners the country paraded.

“I am convinced, considering your years of toil and labour and
the painstaking selection process through which you have emerged,
that you are deserving of this eminent rank.

“I therefore charge you to remain shining lights in the practice
of law within and outside of Nigeria. I must however hasten to add
that there are corresponding duties and responsibilities that go
with your new rank.

“A Senior Advocate of Nigeria has a duty to exhibit the highest
form of decorum, discipline and dedication to the course of justice
and fair play,” he said.

Paul Usoro said the new Senior Advocates of Nigeria must ensure
they were responsible to their colleagues of the Outer Bar and in
particular the army of young lawyers under their tutelage.

The Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC) on July 12,
elevated 31 legal practitioners to the rank of Senior Advocates of
Nigeria (SAN).

They were Madu Abuchi, Essien Udom, Oluyemisi Bangbose, Metong
Urombo, Wahab Egbewole, George Igbokwe, Olubowale Taiwo, Oluwole
Iyamu, Adekole Olawoye, Stephen Adehi and Olusuen Akinbiyi.

Others are: Emmanuel Achukwu, Kenneth Ahia, Loius Alozie, Isa
Chiroma, Olanrewaju Fagbohun, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, Johnson Ojo,
Wole Agunbiade, Olayode Delano, Tanimu Inuwa, Sonny Wogu and Prof.
Offorinze Amucheazi.

The rest are: Adewale Atake, Mosediq Kazeem, Edmund Obiagwu,
Muhammed Mustapha-Akanbi, Cosmas Enweluzo, Isiaka Mudi as well as
Olabode Olanipekun.

NAN, however, reports that Ikhide Ehighelua’s conferment was
striped on account of a petition brought against him.

The committee had also gone ahead to bar Mr Ehighelua from
applying for the rank for the next five years or five applications
beginning from 2019.

(NAN)

Police Rescue Kidnapped Kid from Pregnant Woman in
Borno
CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY AND ABDUCTION
– On 19th September, 2018 at about 1430hrs.
– One ALHAJI ALI BUKAR DALORI, Chairman All Progressives Congress
(APC), Borno State Chapter.
– Reported to the Police that at about 1300hrs same day, an unknown
woman went to Capital School, Old GRA, Maiduguri, abducted his four
(4) years old son, KASHIM ALI BUKAR DALORI and took him to unknown
destination.
– That the abductor and syndicate subsequently demanded for a
ransom of Twenty Million Naira (N20,000,000.00k) through a text
message sent to the mother of the victim.
– That the ransom was to be dropped in Kano before the release of
the victim.
– Following the incident, I immediately mobilized teams of FSARS
personnel led by the Commander, CSP Ibrahim O. Mohammed, to swing
into action for possible rescue of the victim and arrest of
suspects.
– Tentacles within and outside Maiduguri Metropolis were spread
with the aid of the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence
Response Team (IRT).
– On 21st September, 2018 at about 1950hrs, two (2) members of the
syndicate, (1) MOHAMMED SHEHU MUSA ALIAS ALHAJI SHANA and (2)
MUKTAR GONI SHUAIBU ALIAS BANA, both of Bulumkutu area,
Maiduguri.
– Were arrested in KANO at the point of collection of the
N20,000,000 ransom.
– Instant investigation led FSARS detectives to ALBARKA GUEST INN
ALONG BAGA ROAD, MAIDUGURI where one FATIMA MOHAMMED (f) of
Bulumkutu area, Maiduguri the same woman that abducted the victim
at the school is lodged.
– She was arrested in possession of the four (4) years old
victim.
– The rescued victim was handed over to the parents after medical
examination.
– All the suspects confessed to the crime and claimed to have done
so for the love of money.
– Manager of the Guest Inn is also apprehended.
– A Nigerian military officer of the rank of Major (names withheld
for investigation purpose) who accommodated the female suspect in
the Guest Inn is being looked for.
– Pertinent to mention that the said Fatima Mohammed who was
pregnant at the time she kidnapped the minor, gave birth to a baby
boy in the Guest Inn while keeping the victim on 21/09/2018.
– The suspects will be charg5ed to court on completion of
investigation.

ABDUCTION AND RESCUE OF ONE IBRAHIM AHMED, SON OF APC CHAIRMAN
ASKIRA/UBA LGA, BORNO STATE
– At about 1330hrs on Friday, 21/09/2018.
– One Ibrahim Ahmed, an 8yrs old son of APC Chairman, Askira/Uba,
LGA was abducted from Bara’ilum Iman Primary School, Circular Road,
Old GRA, Maiduguri.
– The Command promptly deployed FSARS/Sundry teams on aggressive
patrol of Maiduguri township, Show of Force and to block exit
points from Maiduguri township.
– Culprits apparently sensed danger and hurriedly abandoned the
victims after about five (5) hours and fled.
– The victim was rescued and released to family.
– We are still on the trail of the culprits for their hopeful
arrest.

Signed
DSP EDET OKON
Police Public Relations Officer
For: Commissioner of Police
Borno State Command