116,623 cases pending before us – FHC Ag CJ

The Acting Chief Judge, Federal High Court of Nigeria, Justice John Terhemba Tsoho, on Monday said about 116,623 cases are pending in the federal high court, saying that 12,692 have been disposed off.

Tsoho gave the hint on the occasion of the special court session to mark the commencement of the federal high court legal year 2019/2020, in Abuja.

According to the acting CJ, the figures came to the fore while highlighting the status of litigation before his courts in the past legal year.

He said, “It is pertinent at this juncture to highlight the status of litigation before this court in the past legal year. From the reports received, about 116,623 cases are pending in the federal high court. 16,144 cases were filed in this quarter alone in which 12,692 have been disposed off,”

The acting CJ who lamented that the judges were over-burden with work in the last legal year nevertheless, reiterated the need for government and relevant stakeholders on the possibility of facilitating the recruitment of more judicial officers to help out.

Tsoho thereafter expressed his administration readiness to cooperate with the legislature and the executive towards a solid entrenchment of constitutionalism as the paramount court of first instance in the federal judiciary.

While making his own remarks, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN extolled the commitment of the federal high court in discharging its constitutional duties.

Malami particularly praised the court for ensuring speedy and efficient dispensation of justice in the last legal year, saying that the court did worked tirelessly to achieve that.

He said, “The federal high court also carried out the review the federal high court civil procedure rule 2009 after ten years of usage as a way of addressing some peculiar challenges,”

In his own address at the occasion, the president, Nigeria Bar Association, Paul Usoro, congratulated the judges for stepping forward at creitical moment to cement the bond of Nigeria unity through their decisions and pronouncement.

He however cautioned that the independent of judiciary is under severe threat and severe attack, saying: “The society needs and can only survive if we have independent-minded judges.”

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