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Tag: Customary Court of Appeal

  • FCT Customary Court of Appeal introduces law report

    The Customary Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has inaugurated its maiden law report, containing its decisions on customary disputes through the interpretation of customary laws applicable in the FCT.

    The court unveiled the report last Thursday at a well-attended valedictory court session held in honour of the court’s President, Justice Moses Abu Bello, who retired on attaining the mandatory retirement age.

    Speakers, including the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami (SAN); his FCT counterpart, Muhammed Bello; Chief Judge of the FCT, Justice Ishaq Bello and Clerk of the National Assembly, Mohammed Sani-Omolori hailed the retiring Justice Bello for his contribution to the development of the court.

    Other dignitaries at the event included the Chief Judges of Nasarawa and Kogi states – Suleiman Dikko and Nasiru Ajanah;  Grand Kadi of Kaduna State, Justice Shehu Ahmed, Alex Iziyon (SAN), Israel Olorundare (SAN) and Sunday Ameh (SAN).

    Presenting the law report, the FCT Chief Judge commended the initiative, which he said would help preserve the customary law and serve as a ready reference material for lawyers and researchers on that branch of law.

    He eulogised the court’s retiring president for his contribution to the growth of the court, which now has 44 courts within the FCT and by so doing, assisted it by taking justice closer to the people.

    The FCT CJ noted that the retiring Justice Bello will always be remembered for his development and promotion of the customary court and customary law in the FCT.

    The AGF described the retiring Justice Bello as a distinguished jurist, who has contributed immensely to the development of customary laws in Nigeria.

    Malami said Justice Bello’s dedication to duty and commitment to the growth of his court will serve as inspiration to lawyers and judges alike. Malami described him as a “rare jurist of substance and calibre, recognised by the judiciary and the nation”.

    The FCT Minister, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the FCT, Christian Ohaa, congratulated Justice Bello for exiting service with his integrity intact, after a deserving service to his fatherland.

    He noted that Justice Bello’s tenure had been an eventful one as he succeeded in weathering the storm and addressed most of the challenges associated with customary laws in the FCT.

    The FCT Minister noted that Justice Bello’s many pronouncements on customary disputes will serve as a ready guide for others, particularly judges and lawyers on issues relating to chieftaincy matters.

    Sani-Omolori, who described Justice Bello as a man who has impacted positively on those around him, said he has discharged himself creditably well as a judicial officer. He prayed God to continue to guide him.

    Justice Moses Bello, who became the court’s pioneer President in 1992, thanked God for the opportunity granted him to serve at that level and his contribution to the court’s growth.

    He said: “I am pleased to state that we now have 44 functional Customary Courts spread across the FCT with state-of-the-art court room facilities.

    “Of particular joy to me is the passage into law, by the National Assembly, of the Customary Court of Appeal of the FCT, Abuja (Jurisdiction on Chieftaincy matters) Act, 2011, which conferred on the FCT Customary Court of Appeal’s original jurisdiction to hear and determine chieftaincy matters in the FCT to the exclusion to any other court.”

     

  • Maku urges restoration of Customary Court of Appeal

    Maku urges restoration of Customary Court of Appeal

    Former Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, has called on the Nasarawa State Government to restore the Customary Court of Appeal in the state.

    Maku, a 2015 gubernatorial candidate of All Progressive Grand Alliance ( APGA ) in Nasarawa state, made the appeal on Wednesday while speaking with newsmen in his ancestral home, Wakama, Akun Development Area of the state.

    According to him, re-establishing the abolished court would fast track resolution of traditional issues.

    It would be recalled that the state government scrapped the Customary Court of Appeal during the retirement and valedictory court session in honour of Justice Jibril Idrisu, the President of the state Customary Court of Appeal, on October 23.

    The state government said the decision to scrap the court was based on the advice of the National Judicial Council ( NJC ), citing continued less number of cases recorded in the court over the years in the state.

    Read also: Maku, others say peace, tolerance are panacea to Nigeria’s development

    But Maku asked: “Why will Nasarawa State Government abolish Customary Court of Appeal when the state is made of up of different ethnic cultures and religions?

    “We have Rindre, Afo, Alago, Migili, Agatu, among other tribes, in the state.

    “In Nasarawa state, the law provides for three courts; Sharia Court is for Muslims, Christians would go to the common law court and traditionalists will go to Customary Court of Appeal to solve their disputes.

    “For peace and unity in Nasarawa state, we want the court back, we want the state government to reinstate the Customary Court of Appeal and if the government refuse to return it, when APGA comes to power in 2019, it shall come back.”

    Maku, the National Secretary of APGA, also lamented the continued payment of local government workers in percentages despite the release of bailouts to the state by the Federal Government.

    On the 2019 general election, he urged Nigerians to vote leaders of proven integrity for good governance in order to end hardship, poverty and hunger in the country.

    He urged people of the state to shun politics of religion, ethnicity as well as to avoid divide and rule principle in their bid to elect credible leaders that would transform the state.

    The ex-information minister urged Nigerians to use the period of Christmas to offer special prayers for the peace of the country, adding that no nation can achieve meaningful progress without peace.

    He also urged Nigerians, especially youths, to be peaceful, law abiding, respect constituted authorities and hard working for a greater Nigeria.

    NAN

  • Gunmen kidnap judge in Kogi, orderly killed

    Gunmen kidnap judge in Kogi, orderly killed

    Barely one year after a judge of the Kogi State High Court, Justice Samuel Obayomi was kidnapped and his police orderly killed, a judge of the Customary Court of Appeal in the state, Mr. Isaq Momoh Jimoh Usman has been kidnapped by suspected gunmen.

    His police orderly was reportedly killed during the incident which occurred along the Itakpe – Kuroko road Sunday evening while they were returning to Lokoja.

    The judge was said to have travelled to his village over the weekend and was returning to Lokoja when the suspected gunmen stopped his car along the Okene – Itakpe bye pass in Okehi local government.

    It was learnt that the suspected kidnappers mowed down the police orderly immediately while the driver of the judge received bullet wounds, before their victim was taken to unknown destination.

    A source said that the late police orderly made to prevent the kidnappers from abducting the judge when he was shot by one of the abductors, and his service pistol taken away.

    The remains of late police orderly said the source, was deposited at the morgue in an undisclosed hospital, and the driver who was said to have received several gun shots is receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital in Lokoja.

    Confirming the incident, the information officer, Kogi State Ministry Justice, Mr. Saqeeb Saeed, said that the Customary Court of Appeal judge was kidnapped along Okene – Kuroko bye pass on Sunday evening.

    Efforts made to confirm the killing of the police orderly proved abortive as calls made to the Kogi Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Wllly Aya was not responded to.

    Similarly, it was gathered that two yet-to-be identified women coming from Abuja were abducted along the Obajana – Okene road last Friday

    It would be recalled that a forth night ago, the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase deployed a detachment of Special Anti-robbery Squad from Abuja, while apatrol helicopter was stationed in Lokoja to combat the menace of kidnappers in Kogi State.

    However, barely one week after the federal SARS operatives returned to their base, activities of the abductors appeared to have spiked in Kogi State again.

  • Wanted: Customary Court of Appeal for Lagos

    Wanted: Customary Court of Appeal for Lagos

    How to improve justice delivery at the grassroots was the thrust of the yearly retreat/workshop for customary court presidents and judges by the Lagos State Judicial Service Commission, reports ADEBISI ONANUGA 

    The need to protect our customs  came to the fore as stakeholders in the justice sector converged on Lagos to re-appraise procedures in the customary courts.

    The occasion was a retreat/workshop by the Lagos State Judicial Service Commission for Presidents and judges of customary courts, which had as theme, “The role of Customary Court Judges in the nation’s judicial system”.

    The participants counselled the  Commission to establish a Customary Court of Appeal to strengthen the system.

    Ondo State President, Customary Court of Appeal, Justice C.T. Adesola-Ikpatt, who delivered the lead paper titled: “Jurisdiction of Customary Courts in Lagos State”, stressed the need for the Commission to develop   customary court laws and preserve it for posterity.

    She advised the Lagos Judiciary to   establish the Customary Court of Appeal to provide access, in a familiar environment, for those dissatisfied with the decisions of the customary courts.

    Justice Adesola-Ikpatt noted that the indigenous system of adjudication of disputes, which the customary courts administer has remained relevant over the years in maintaining peace and social order among a vast majority of the people. She pointed out that those subject to the system, identified with and accepted it as regulating their relationship.

    “The colonialists saw the good in our indigenous laws and system of adjudication; they respected and preserved it. True, times are changing, but the wise must do the needful to protect their customs and ways of life as depicted by our indigenous laws and system of court”, she emphasised.

    Chief Magistrate Y. O. Aje-Afunwa, whose paper dwelt on “Ethics, decorum and comportment” counselled the presidents and judges of the customary courts to be above board. “Judges are expected to rise above common heads in society, not only in our moral and social perfection and behaviour but in our intellectual performance,” she said.

    Aje-Afunwa advised the customary court judges that they and their family members “shall neither ask for nor accept gifts, bequests, favours, or loans on account of anything done or omitted to be done in the discharge of their duties”.

    She urged them to shun nepotism and favouritism, disqualify themselves in a proceeding where their impartiality might reasonably be questioned and requlate their ex-parte judicial activities to minimise the risk of conflict with judicial duties.

    Aje-Afunwa, however, said: “Judicial officers shall be free to join associations of judges or other organisations to represent their interest to promote professional training and protect their judicial independence.”

    The Executive Secretary, Judicial Service Commission, Ayodele Odugbesan,  appealed to the Attorney-General to ensure that the proposed amendments to the Customary Courts Law 2011 are effected as soon as possible.

    “We believe that the amendments will be beneficial to us and spur local government authorities to meet their obligations especially since they requested that these courts be established in their communities,” she said.

    Lagos Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Adeniji Kazeem, who delivered the keynote address, promised to review the Customary Court Law 2011 to increase the jurisdiction of the courts in criminal matters.

    Kazeem, who was represented by the Solicitor-General, Funmi Odunlami, gave an indication that the Lagos House of Assembly was reviewing the law.

    He told them that for now, they would have to continue to dispense justice under the  Customary Courts Law  2011, which earlier increased the jurisdiction of the customary courts in respect of administration of estates of persons who died interstate to N500,000, while the jurisdiction of the courts was limited only to contempt of court committed in the face of the court in criminal aspect.

    The Chief Judge of the State, Justice Olufunmilayo Atilade, who was represented by Justice Taofikat Oyekan-Abdulai, said the state has been a pacesetter in the administration of justice and urged them to always uphold the truth.

    Justice Atilade advised that the tradition of the people in their locality should guide them when dispensing justice, adding that they should not apply common law in all cases.