The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN, Justice Tanko Muhammad, who vowed to drag them to NJC noted that he would make them an example, saying “never shall we condone such acts.”
Three states chief judges will be dragged before the National Judicial Council over conflicting ex parte orders made by them.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN, Justice Tanko Muhammad, who vowed to drag them to NJC noted that he would make them an example, saying “never shall we condone such acts.”
The announcement was made by Justice Muhammad on Monday after a marathon meeting with seven chief judges.
The three unidentified Judges who granted conflicting ex parte orders are to appear before the National Judicial Council, to show why disciplinary action should not be taken against them for granting the conflicting orders, Mohammad explained.
He affirmed that the judiciary would no longer condone indiscipline or allow any judge to tarnish its image.
According to a statement by Mr Soji Oye, the Supreme Court Director of Information, noted that the CJN met the judges between 11am and 5:30pm.
He explained that the meeting began with a one-on-one interaction with the CJ in this order; FCT Abuja, Rivers State, Kebbi State, Cross River State, Jigawa State, Anambra State, and Imo States.
The Chief Judges were separately questioned personally by the CJN for over an hour, before reading them the riot act in a joint session involving all of them.
The CJN stated that there must be an end to indiscriminate granting of ex parte orders, while he warned the CJs to henceforth avoid unnecessary assumption of jurisdiction in matters with similar subject and parties already before another court.
“We must, therefore, put an end to indiscriminate granting of ex parte orders, conflicting judgments or rulings occasioned by forum-shopping. Your job as Heads of Court is a sacred one, and it, therefore, includes you vicariously taking the sins of others.
“There must be an end to this nonsense. You shall henceforth take absolute charge in assigning cases or matters, especially political ones, personally. Protect the court from lawyers that are out for forum shopping and work in tandem with all their Judges to salvage the image of the Judiciary. Stop making newly appointed judicial officers vacation judges and assigning complex cases to inexperienced Judges.
“All Heads of Courts must be current on developments in the polity and the judgments delivered by courts of various jurisdictions, and to urgently issue practice directions to guide judges in their various courts, so as to avoid conflicting decisions," he added.