Re-double your efforts on bench, CJN charges Judges

As a way of decongesting the courts, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad has called on Judges in the country to re-double their efforts in the discharge of their judicial functions.

The CJN, who spoke on Tuesday in Abuja, at the 35th Annual Conference of the Judges of the Federal High Court said, much is expected from the Judges because of the nature of their courts.

Justice Muhammad, who was represented by a Justice of the Court of Appeal, Mohammed Lawal Shuaibu congratulated the Federal High Court Judges for witnessing another legal year and urged them to use the occasion of the annual conference to sharpen their skills in other to ensure quick dispensation of Justice.

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While declaring the conference open, the CJN urged the judges to be transparent, live above board and be guided by their oath of office.

In his speech at the conference, the Acting Chief Judge of the Federal high court, Justice John Tsoho renewed his appeal for recruitment of more Judges for the court to enable them to cope with the workload of cases pending before the court.

The acting Chief Judge said, while awaiting the appointment of new Judges, those presently on the bench should endeavour to put their best to reduce the burden that the shortfall would have caused the court in terms of speedy adjudication.

Justice Tsoho praised the Judges of the court on the ways and manners most of the preelection cases were handled, noting that it is a thing of joy to the judiciary that most of the cases were heard and determined without rancour.

The acting Chief Judge specifically commended his immediate predecessor, Justice Adamu Abdul Kafarati for his directive that no injunctive relief must be granted via exparte, adding that the directive and adherence to it by Judges helped in no small measure to remove them from the critical eyes of the public.

On the conference, Justice Tsoho disclosed that the court has engaged experts in various fields to interface with judges and to bring them up to date in certain areas of their chosen profession.

He also said that the experts will counsel Judges on health issues, which according to him is of paramount importance to all heads of courts.

Tsoho then praised President Muhammad Buhari for considering him worthy of been appointed as the acting Chief Judge and the CJN for his exemplary support to the Federal High court and promised the National Judicial Council (NJC), the Federal Judicial Service Commission and his colleagues on the bench not to let them down, as he will not do anything that will make them regret their support for him.

The conference was attended by retired judges of the court as well as eminent legal practitioners in the country.