The Katsina state government has dismissed complaints by judicial officers and state counsels regarding poor working conditions, inadequate tools, and low remuneration, which they claim have affected service delivery.
In an exclusive interview with The Nation, the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Fadila Muhammad Dikko, refuted the allegations, asserting that the situation has significantly improved.
She highlighted several achievements, including the provision of quality laptops, upgraded office equipment, and the establishment of law pavilions over the past year.
“The state government has also approved a memo for the provision of ICT volumes 1-8, the upgrading of law libraries, and a one-year supply of essential materials for appellate courts. State counsels are adequately taken care of, making their complaints misleading,” Dikko stated.
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The Nation recalls that some senior judicial staff and state counsels in the Ministry of Justice have anonymously reiterated concerns about low pay and inadequate resources, citing the reasons for an exodus of legal professionals to private sector opportunities.
In a related development, the Chief Judge of Katsina State, Justice Musa Danladi Abubakar, has issued a stern warning to magistrates and sharia court judges against interfering in police investigations.
Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony of newly appointed magistrates and sharia court judges, Justice Abubakar emphasized that any judge who issues orders to halt police investigations will face removal from office.
He further clarified that magistrates and sharia courts lack the jurisdiction to stop police investigations, urging judicial officers to adhere strictly to their legal boundaries.