CJN Onnoghen, mourn late Kutigi

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, has commiserated
with the family of late former chief justice, Idris Kutigi, who
died at a London hospital on Saturday.

The former CJN died after a brief illness, his son, Sani Kutuji
was reported as saying, on Sunday.

In a statement by Mr Onnoghen’s spokesperson, Awassam Bassey,
the CJN directed that all judiciary institutions should fly the
national flag at half mast, as a mark of honour for Mr Kutigi.

“The Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Hon. Mr. Justice
Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen, GCON, has received with sadness the
news of the demise of His Lordship, the former Chief Justice of
Nigeria, Hon. Mr. Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi, GCON, who died in a
London hospital on Saturday, 20th October, 2019 at the age of 78
years.

“The CJN, on behalf of the Nigerian Judiciary and, indeed, all
Nigerians, commiserates with the family of the deceased former CJN
and urges them to take solace in the fact that their patriarch
lived to the fullness of age and served his country diligently,
rising to become the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the highest office
in the third arm of government.

“As a mark of deserved honour to the deceased jurist, the Hon.
Chief Justice of Nigeria has directed that the Nigerian National
Flag in the premises of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, the CJN’s
official residence in the Three Arms Zone of Abuja, all Judiciary
institutions including the National Judicial Council (NJC), the
National Judicial Institute (NJI) and the Federal Judicial Service
Commission (FJSC), as well as all Courts of Records in the country,
should be flown at half-mast for a duration of seven days.”

The statement also includes a directive for the Supreme Court
registrar to open a condolence register for the late CJN.

“Similarly, the CJN has instructed the Chief Registrar of the
Supreme Court to open Condolence Registers at both foyers of the
Court to enable Honourable Justices of the Court and other
well-wishers pay their last respects to the deceased Justice Kutigi
who was Chief Justice of Nigeria from 30th January, 2007 to 31st
December, 2009.

“The Hon. Chief Justice prays for the peaceful repose of Hon.
Mr. Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi and urges God to grant the family
the fortitude to bear the loss.”

Mr Kutigi is the third former chief justice to die in 2018.

In July, 2018 another former CJN, Aloysius Katsina-Alu, who
succeeded Mr Kutigi, died.

Also in January, Mr Katsina-Alu’s successor, Dahiru Musdapher,
died at the age of 75.