Chief Judge of Kogi state, Justice Nasiru Ajanah, has charged the newly appointed judges of Magistrate and Area Courts to shun any act that could jeopardised the eff orts being made to build a Judiciary that “will be accepted by all.” Justice Ajanah gave the charge yesterday during the swearing in ceremony of eight judges of Area Court and four judges of Magistrate’s Court appointed by state Judicial Service Commission yesterday in Lokoja. Ajanah warned that the oaths they had taken mandated them to be faithful to the Constitution, urging them to diff erentiate between their personal interest and the call of their offi ces.
“Th e powers of the courts are generally enshrined in Section 6 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended. You are equally guided by various instruments/legislations that will ensure that you exercise your jurisdiction unfettered. “As judicial offi cers there is a code that regulates your conduct.
We have tried to build a Judiciary that can hold its own anywhere and that implies that we do not tolerate acts inimical to the tenets that sustain the process of justice delivery,” he said. Justice Ajanah, who disclosed that 100 eligible persons applied for the positions, said that they were adjudged to have been exceptional in their performance at the interview panel, enjoined them not to disappoint the authorities that found them worthy of the appointment.
“You must decide your cases in accordance with the law and must not allow any sentiments of whatever nature or colour to infl uence your decision. You must conduct yourselves in a way that due respect will be given to you as espousing the law itself. “
Th is I will always ask you and infraction on the codes that regulate your actions shall not be condoned. It is my responsibility to ensure that we provide an enabling environment for you to perform optimally. I believe that you will discharge your responsibilities creditably and collaborate with other offi cers to ensure that we build the Judiciary of our dreams.” Th e new Magistrates are Aishat Baba Audu, Akolo Comfort Oyetunde, Azeez Ganiu Onuche and Abraham Dorcas Ojonugba.
Th ose for Area Court are Fatima Ademu, Alawo Sunday Dangana , Ogido Anna Ize, Oyeyemi Henry, Olugbemi Mabel Adebola, Benjamin Aduojo and Musa Nicolas Zakari. Speaking on behalf of his colleagues, Aishat Baba Audu commended the Judiciary Service Commission for the appointment and assured that they would carry out the enormous tasks “with utmost diligence.”
