The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nasir Ajanah

  • JUST IN: Bello walks out Kogi CJ from state function

    Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello on Tuesday walked out the Chief Judge (CJ) of the state, Justice Nasir Ajanah from a function.

    The incident occurred at the Government House Lokoja during the swearing-in of the new Grand Khadi of the state.

    The function was attended by top government officials and others from the judiciary.

    Read Also: Kogi poll: Can Bello get second term?

    The CJ, who was said to have been officially invited to the function by the protocol officer of the Government House, was seated before arrival of the governor.

    However, some minutes later before the arrival of the governor, his Chief Security Officer allegedly approached the CJ and informed him the governor gave a directive that he should not be allowed to attend the function.

    The CJ thereafter left the government house and returned to his office.

    The development may not be unconnected to the face-off between the executive and the state judiciary, arising from disagreements over table payment of judicial staff.

  • Kogi CJ removal: Judicial workers threatens to shut courts, tribunals nationwide

    Judicial workers in the country under the auspices of the  Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) has threatened to disrupt courts activities, as well tribunal setting across the country if the planned removal of the Chief Judge of Kogi state, Justice Nasir Ajanah is carried out.

    The Kogi State House of Assembly on Wednesday recommended the removal of the Chief Judge who has been having running battle with the state Governor, Yahaya Bello over none remittance of accrued revenue to the judiciary in the state which has led to five month old strike by workers in the sector.

    The Governor had earlier vowed to remove the CJ by all means.

    National President of JUSUN, Comrade Marwan Mustapha Adamu said such recommendation is null and void and cannot stand the test of time and Warner that the union will not guaranteed industrial harmony in the nation judiciary, as her members would be withdrawn from all courts in the country should the governor be allow to carry out his evil motive of removing the Chief Justice.

    Read Also: Gov. Bello plotting to sack CJ, Kogi judiciary alleges

    Comrade Mustapha said “we condemned this wicked recommendation for the removal of the Chief Judge of Kogi state, Justice Nasir Ajanah by the State House. We warned against total shut down of nation judiciary in solidarity with our members in the state who have being  on strike for five months over this matter and also that the matter is pending in Court.

    “We see this action by the lawmakers as an affront to the Judiciary and against doctrine of separation of powers as enshrined in the 1999 constitution as amended. We also believe that for the Assembly to even deliberate on the matter is subjudice, since the issue is before the court.

    “The national headquarters of the union had earlier seek for audience with the Governor on how best to resolve the matter but all do not avail”.

    The Nation gathered that judicial workers in the state have been on strike since December 2018 over non remittance of funds accruing to the state Judiciary resulting in eight months accumulated salary arrears.

    The workers  last month approach the National Industrial Court which they consider as only hope to common man, asking the court to determine “Whether Kogi State Judiciary is not entitled to, as of right, certain amounts in the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the state?

    They also want the court to decide whether the fund payable to the heads of courts in line with Section 231(3) of the 1999 constitution (as amended) and Section 5 of the Kogi State Public Finance (Judiciary Special Provisions) Law No 6 of 1991 and Whether the governor and his appointees, joined in the case have the power or right to withhold the Judiciary’s funds and thereby failing in the payment of monthly salaries, allowances and emoluments of judiciary staff.

    They also asked the Industrial Court to decide “Whether the Executive arm can place such conditions as staff screening, staff data capturing, table payment or any other condition, as a prerequisite for the release of the funds without respect for the doctrine of Separation of Powers, as envisaged by the constitution the Kogi State Public Finance Law?’’

    The union also urged the court to determine whether the Executive arm had the powers or constitutional right to usurp the powers of the JSC, by scheming to take over payment of judiciary staff salaries and other emoluments without reference to and approval of the Commission.

    It also sought the determination of the Industrial Court whether on the other hand, the Chief Judge and other heads of courts had received any subvention since July 1, 2018, and have refused to pay the salaries and emoluments of staff.

    JUSUN therefore urged the court to declare that subject to the provisions of the constitution and laws of Kogi State, amounts standing to the credit of Kogi State Judiciary in the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the state, be paid directly to the heads of courts.

    It also urged the court to declare that the Executive lacked the power to withhold funds accruing to the Judiciary, and its continued refusal to remit such funds were unconstitutional, illegal, ultra vires, wrong, null and void; and of no effect.

    The union further asked for an order of the court directing the full payment of the accumulated eight months subvention owed the three courts and the JSC.

    JUSUN also urged the court to restrain the executive from “taking steps that tend towards usurping the powers of the JSC in terms of payment of emoluments and discipline of judiciary staff’’.

     

  • Gov. Bello plotting to sack CJ, Kogi judiciary alleges

    The judicial arm of the Kogi State government headed by Justice Nasir Ajanah has alleged of plans by Governor Yahaya Bello to remove the former from office.

    The judicial service, in a statement on Tuesday by Saqeeb Saeed, Senior Information Officer, Kogi State Judiciary, alleged the plot being hatched by the governor to remove Ajanah as the state’s chief judge is to use the speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly to illegally remove the chief law officer.

    The statement read: “Events in the last few days have made it necessary for the Kogi State Judiciary to issue this press statement.

    “The Kogi State Judiciary is aware of clandestine moves by His Excellency, the Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello to use the Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly to illegally remove the Chief Judge of the State, Hon. Justice Nasiru Ajanah, from office over some trumped up allegations.

    “This dangerous and ill-advised move is coming from the executive inspite of the fact that the matter is now before the National Judicial Council (NJC), and there is a subsisting court order restraining the governor from doing so.

    Read Also: Bello lauds military support to internal security

    “The governor is advised not to do anything that will plunge the state into an unnecessary constitutional crisis. Rather, he should obey the rule of law and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which he swore to uphold.

    “Meanwhile workers of the judiciary should remain calm, as the rule of law shall prevail at the end.”

    As at the time of filing the report, activities at the Assembly indicated moves were in the offing to ease Ajanah out from office as Kogi CJ.

    Judicial staff members on Monday marched through some major streets of the capital, Lokoja, protesting the alleged plan to sack Ajanah as CJ.

    The speaker, Prince Mathew Kolawole, had however denied knowledge of such plan.

    Kolawole, who was at the government house on Monday, said he was unaware of the name(s) of such person(s) making the allegations.

  • Melaye: Ruling on bail application fixed for May 18

    The Kogi State High Court, sitting in Lokoja, has adjourned ruling on an application for bail brought by Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West), to next week Wednesday.

    Justice Nasir Ajanah on Thursday after listening to arguments by Melaye’s counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) and the government’s lead prosecutor, Alex Iziyon (SAN), fixed ruling on the bail application for May 18.

    The two applications before the court, from the two counsels, were consolidated.

    Moving the application for bail, Ozekhome described the motion for variation by the prosecution as uncalled for, arguing that the judge could not reverse himself on the matter.

    Read Also: Court orders Melaye’s remand at Abuja hospital

    “Since the trial judge had already ruled according to Section 166 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law…the section did not say the court should vary an order it earlier made”, he argued.

    He noted that the prosecution failed to appeal the ruling of the court that Melaye be taken back to the National Hospital, Abuja.

  • Kogi CJ discharges inmates illegally remanded in prison

    Kogi CJ discharges inmates illegally remanded in prison

    Kogi Chief Judge, Nasir Ajanah, has discharged and acquitted one Gide Garba illegally detained as an Awaiting Trial Inmate (ATM) in the Kabba Federal Prison.

    He also granted bail to another ATM Husseini Embiga also an inmate illegally detained in the same prison.

    Ajanah granted the unconditional release of Garba while reviewing cases of 17 awaiting trial inmates in the prisons on Saturday.

    He said the two accused should not ordinarily be in remand as their offences did not warrant such.

    The Chief Judge said Garba (aka Shingee), was charged with criminal conspiracy, belonging to a gang of thieves and kidnappers but was dumped in the prison.

    He was not taken before any court of competent jurisdiction for five months as required under the constitution.

    “I am therefore left with no choice than to order for his immediate release from detention unconditionally.

    “The accused is hereby ordered to be released forthwith”, he said.

    Garba, a commercial motorcyclist, told the visiting Chief Judge that he took a passenger to Isanlu and on getting there, the passenger pleaded that he should be taken to Kabba and he agreed at a fee.

    On getting to Kabba, he said, the Passenger pleaded with him to wait a little bit for the person he came to see and bought him soft drinks, while they waited only to be arrested a few minutes later by two men while his passenger simply walked away.

    Husseini Embiga, a Tiv farmer in Kogi, charged with criminal trespass and theft of motor battery was released on bail by the Chief Judge on the ground that the offences were bailable.

    “These offences are ordinarily bailable. I am surprised that the trial Upper Area Court could not avail the accused of the opportunity of going on bail.

    “The accused is hereby granted bail in the sum of N2, 000 and one surety in like sum.

    “In view of the nature of the case as presented by the trial Upper Area Court Judge, he is hereby directed to ensure that this case is heard and determined within the next one week,” the Chief Judge said.

    “I am impressed with the fact that there are fewer people awaiting trial and those convicted.

    “Out of the 63 inmates, there are only 19 ATMs that mean that our effort at decongesting the prisons is working very well,” the CJ said.

    NAN

  • NBA wants Court of Appeal established in Kogi

    NBA wants Court of Appeal established in Kogi

    The four branches of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Kogi, on Wednesday appealed to the President of the Court of Appeal to establish a division of the court in Lokoja, the state capital.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the association has already established a special committee to pursue the matter.

    Mr Emmanuel Haruna, chairman of the committee, which comprises chairmen of Lokoja, Idah, Okene and Kabba branches of NBA, emphasised the need for the court during a visit to the Chief Judge of Kogi, Justice Nasir Ajanah, in Lokoja.

    Haruna held that establishing a division of the appellate court in Kogi was long overdue, pointing out that more than 50 percent of appeals handled by the Abuja division of the court were from Kogi.

    “Kogi has met all the requirements for the establishment of the court. The state was created 26 years, but it is yet to have an appeal court, while states like Ekiti, created five years after, already have a division of the court,” he argued.

    Haruna bemoaned a situation where lawyers and litigants had often traveled to the Appeal Court in Abuja only to discover that their cases had not been listed for mention.

    Responding, Justice Ajanah commended the committee for taking up the matter in the interest of their members and litigants, saying that the need for a division of the Appeal Court in Lokoja had been “on for a very long time”.

    Ajanah said that he had met and discussed extensively with justices of the appeal court on the issue, adding that the state was requested to construct a befitting court building and accommodation for the judges.

    The Chief Judge assured the NBA that he would do everything within his powers to actualise the dream, but challenged lawyers in the state to sit up and minimise incessant appeals for adjournment of cases.

    He promised to take up the issue with Gov. Yahaya Bello to solicit support in meeting the requirements, and urged the committee to also meet the President of the Appeal Court on the matter.