Justice Sherifat Solebo of a Lagos State Special Offences Court
in Ikeja on Wednesday objected to an attempt to disrupt proceedings
in her courtroom by a task force of the Nigeria Bar Association
(NBA), Ikeja Branch.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Dele Oloke, NBA
Chairman, Ikeja Branch, had at 10.17a.m., led the task force to
stop proceedings in Solebo’s courtroom in an attempt to enforce
court boycott directive by the NBA.
“I will not entertain any interruption. We know the rules of
court; Mr Oloke, be properly guided.
“The National Judicial Council (NJC) has not directed that
judges should not sit; the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria has not
shut the door.
“I am still in charge of this court, Mr Oloke; what you are
doing is contemptuous,” the judge warned.
Following the judge’s outburst, the chairman left the court
after instructing lawyers in the courtroom to obey the boycott
directive.
Speaking to NAN later, Oloke frowned at lawyers’ flouting of the
directive.
He said that the court boycott should be obeyed by every
responsible lawyer.
He said: “I was at the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting
of the NBA under its President, Mr Paul Usoro, and we resolved that
we should embark on a two-day symbolic boycott of courts.
“Every responsible lawyer should abide by it.
“It is playing to the gallery to say that your clients are
important; we also have clients. When systems collapse, everybody
will be blamed.
“When we abandon our work to protect the institution we belong
to, and some lawyers refuse to cooperate with us, we will do
something about it, I can assure you.”
NAN reports that some other judges at the Ikeja High Court
Complex also sat in spite of the boycott directive.
At 9.56a.m., the NBA task force was unable to stop proceedings
in the courtroom of Justice Sururat Soladoye of an Ikeja Domestic
Violence and Sexual Offences Court – within the Ikeja High Court
Complex.
The judge was about to rise when the team stormed her
courtroom.
Proceedings in the courtroom of Justice Mojisola Dada of a
Special Offences Court – also within the complex – could also not
be disrupted at 10.42a.m. by Oloke’s team.
The judge was delivering a judgment at the time and had to
finish it.
The NBA had at its NEC meeting on Monday resolved to embark on
boycott of courts on Jan. 29 and Jan. 30. to protest the suspension
of the Chief Justice of Nigeria , Walter Onnoghen.
NAN reports that Onnoghen was suspended on Jan. 25, following an
allegation of non-declaration of assets.
He was charged before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) on Jan.
14, on six-count charge.
President Muhammadu Buhari suspended Onnoghen following an order
by the CCT. He appointed Justice Tanko Mohammed as the Acting
CJN.
Many judges at the court complex equally adjudicated over cases
on Tuesday from when the boycott directive took effect.
Activities at the court complex were reduced, but many judges
sat.
Justices Mojisola Dada, Oluwatoyin Taiwo and Olusola Williams of
the Ikeja Special Offences Court adjudicated over cases, while
lawyers and litigants were seated in Justice Sherifat Solebo’s
courtroom as at 10.50a.m., awaiting the judge’s arrival.
At the Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court, Justice
Sururat Soladoye began sitting at 9.00a.m. and was still
adjudicating matters as at 11.15a.m.
In Justice Sybil Nwaka’s courtroom, lawyers and litigants were
awaiting her arrival.
At the Ikeja High Court, Justice Hakeem Oshodi presided over
proceedings in his courtroom which was half filled with lawyers and
litigants.
Justices Obafemi Adamson, Raliatu Adebiyi and Josephine Oyefeso
sat briefly in their courtrooms. (NAN)
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