Nigerian judges’ fate hangs in the balance

The fate of 12 Nigerian judges, who recently left the country in the wake of the January 19 political brouhaha, is seemingly in the balance, and it is not clear whether they would return to the country after the departure of Chief Justice Emmanuel O. Fagbenle.

According to Judiciary sources, the High Court and Court of Appeal judges had their contract renewed during the last General Legal Council (GLC) meeting presided over by the erstwhile Chief Justice Fagbenle.

“The judges had their contract renewed effective from January to December 2017, but with the change of events, the judges have to wait for the appointment and arrival of a new Chief Justice and meeting of the GLC to confirm as to whether the GLC would maintain the status-quo or appoint new judges,” our sources said.

“It is only Justice Kumba Sillah Camara and Justice Amina Saho-Ceesay High Court judges, Justice Awa Bah and Justice Edrissa F. Mbai of the Court of Appeal, all Gambian judges, presently in the country.”

Meanwhile, the Gambia Bar Association (GBA) has lifted the boycott of the courts, and urged all its members to return to court yesterday.

However, the superior courts were not fully functional due to the lack of judges.