CJN To Inaugurate 23 Federal High Court Judges Oct 4 

The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, will on Wednesday October 4, 2023, swear-in the newly appointed 23 Judges of the Federal High Court. A statement by the Court’s Director of Press and Information on Sunday, Dr Festus Akande said that the Judges are to be inaugurated at the Main Courtroom of the Supreme Court of Nigeria at 11am. The new Judges are: Dipeolu Deinde Isaac from Ogun State; Ogundare Kehinde Olayiwola from Ekiti State; Agbaje Olufunmilola Adetutu from Lagos State; Musa Kakaki from Kaduna State; Abdullahi Muhammad Dan-Ige from Sokoto State; and Sharon Tanko Ishaya from Kebbi State. Others are Salim Olasupo Ibrahim from Ogun State; Yilwa Hauwa Joseph from Gombe State; Wigwe-Oreh Chituru Joy from Rivers State; Owoeye Alexander Oluseyi from Kogi State; Anyalewa Onoja-Alapa from Benue State; Amina Aliyu Mohammad from Katsina State; Abiodun Jordan Adeyemi from Kwara State; Hauwa Buhari from Federal Capital Territory; and Aishatu Auta Ibrahim from Borno State. The rest are Hussaini Dadan-Garba from Bauchi State; Ibrahim Ahmad Kala from Gombe State; Mashkur Salisu from Zamfara State; Onah Chigozie Sergius from Enugu State; Egbe Raphael Joshua from Bayelsa State; Ariwoola Olukayode Jnr. from Oyo State; Ekerete Udofot Akpan from Akwa Ibom State; and Ogazi Friday Nkemakonam from Ebonyi State.   Also, a valedictory Court session will be held on Tuesday 10th October, 2023, in honour of the late Justice Chima Centus Nweze at the Main Courtroom of the Supreme Court at 10am. As is customary, the Chief Justice of Nigeria will preside over the session which will, among other things, feature the presentation of tributes by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chairman of the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, and President of the Nigerian Bar Association, in honour of the departed Jurist.  It will be recalled that Justice Nweze died on Saturday, 29th July, 2023 in Abuja after a brief illness at the age of 64 years.  He was sworn-in as Justice of Supreme Court on 29th October, 2014. He was born in Obollo, Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State on 25th September, 1958.  He attended St. John Cross Seminary, Nsukka from 1972 to 1977, emerging with a Distinction in the West African School Certificate Examination.  He gained admission into University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus in 1979 where he graduated with a Degree in Law in 1983. In the same year, he represented the Law Faculty and, indeed, all Nigerian Law Faculties, at the Philip Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition in Washington DC, as the Chief Oraclist.  Justice Nweze did his NYSC between 1984 and 1985 in Bauchi, after being called to the Nigerian Bar in 1984. He equally had his Doctorate Degree in Law from the same University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus.

CJN To Swear In 9 New Appeal Court Justices Sept 20

 *As Justice Amina Augie Retires On September 20, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, will administer the oath of office to nine newly appointed Justices of the Court of Appeal. This inauguration ceremony will take place at the Main Court auditorium of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, as announced on Sunday in a statement by Dr. Festus Akande, the Director of Press and Information for the Supreme Court. The new Appellate Court Justices include Hannatu Azumi Laja-Balogun from Kaduna State, Binta Fatima Zubairu from Kaduna State, and Peter Chudi Obiora from Anambra State, among others. Each of these distinguished individuals has a substantial legal background, having served as High Court Judges for several years. Additionally, it was revealed that Justice Amina Adamu Augie is set to retire from the Supreme Court’s Bench on September 21, 2023. This follows her attainment of the mandatory retirement age of 70 on September 3, 2023. The valedictory court session in her honour, which was originally scheduled for September 3, has been postponed due to the Court’s annual vacation. Justice Augie, who became a Supreme Court Justice on November 7, 2016, graduated with a Second-Class Upper Division in Law from the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) in 1977 and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1978. With Justice Augie’s retirement, the Supreme Court will be left with 11 Justices, significantly below the Constitutionally stipulated 22 Justices. This development follows the passing of Justice Centus Chima Nweze of the Supreme Court in July this year. The current lineup of Justices on the Apex Court bench includes Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Olukayode Ariwoola, Musa Dattijo, Kudirat Motomori Kekere-Ekun, John Inyang Okoro, Uwani Abba Aji, Garba Lawal, Helen Morenikeji Ogunwumiju, Ibrahim Saulawa, Adamu Jauro, Tijjani Abubakar, and Emmanuela Akomaye Agim.