CJN swears in Dongban-Mensem as new Appeal Court President 

The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Tanko Muhammad on Friday, swore in Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, as the Acting President of the Court of Appeal.

The swearing-in ceremony, which took place at the ceremonial court of the Supreme Court in Abuja, followed Justice Dongban-Mensem’s appointment as acting President of the appellate court by President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday.

The National Judicial Council (NJC) had earlier nominated Justice Dongban-Mensem to the President for appointment into the office of President of the Court of Appeal, as the most senior Justice after Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, who retired on Friday, having attained the mandatory retirement age of 70 years.

The CJN, who expressed confidence in her abilities, described her as “A seasoned judicial officer who has been in the system for a long time”.

The CJN said, “She knows the work very well and she has been doing her job satisfactorily well.

“It was her hard work that has enticed both the Court of Appeal and the National Judicial Council to uplift her to the position of the President of the Court of Appeal”, the CJN said and urged her to continue to be charismatic and carry out her tasks diligently.

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He also asked her to always consult with her colleagues and pay visits to the court’s divisions in the various parts of the country in order to be, “equipped with information about what happens in those places”.

Justices Olabode Rhodes-Vivour, Sylvester Ngwuta, Olukayode Ariwoola, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, Amina Augie, Ejembi Eko, Paul Galumje, and Uwani Abba-Aji, all Supreme Court Justices joined the CJN to perform the swearing-in ceremony on Friday.

The ceremony which had Justices of the Court of Appeal and heads of other federal courts in attendance was also witnessed by Governors Simon Lalong of Plateau State and Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State.

The 62-year-old Dongban-Mensem hails from Plateau State.

Dongbam-Mensem, a Law graduate of Ahmadu Bello University was appointed a judge of Plateau State High Court in 1993 and later, on transfer became a judge of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, in 1996.

She was elevated to the Court of Appeal bench in 2003.

She was the Presiding Justice of the Enugu Division of the Court of Appeal until her appointment as the Acting President of the court.