News

S’Court Justices Petition CJN Over Poor Service Conditions

Published

4 years ago

June 15, 2022

Worried that their budgetary allocation has not increased for four years, Justices of the Supreme Court have protested to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice lbrahim Tanko Muhammad.
In the protest conveyed to the head of the Judiciary via a letter, the Justices complained that poor welfare had hindered their job.
The apex court has been receiving N110billion yearly since 2018 despite the increase in its size and responsibilities.
It was learnt that its annual budget was not always regularly cash-backed leading to non-provision of essential services for the Justices.
Unable to bear this anymore, the Justices protested to the CJN.
Responding, Justice Muhammad told his colleagues he had been accountable and transparent.
A source at the apex court said the problems, which were beyond the CJN, included delay in cash backing the budget of the apex court.
Disturbed by the tension between the CJN and the Justices, the Emir of Lafia, Justice Sidi Bage Muhammad has waded in.
After some shuttles, the retired Bage at the weekend succeeded in brokering peace with a resolution to appeal to the Executive arm to address the challenges facing the Supreme Court Justices.
Investigation revealed that the tension at the apex court has been festering since March 23, when the CJN constituted a Welfare Committee.
On March 24, the committee submitted a list of demands by the Supreme Court Justices to the CJN.
The issues raised by the Justices are non-replacement of poor vehicles; accommodation problem; lack of drugs at the Supreme Court clinic; epileptic electricity supply to the Supreme Court; increase in electricity tariff; no increase in the allowances for diesel; lack of Internet services to residences and chambers.
Others are internal problems, including non-signing of amended Rules of Court for almost three years; sudden stoppage of two to three foreign workshops and trainings per annum for Justices; no provision of qualified legal assistants.
A source said: “On the 24th day of March, 2022, the welfare committee submitted a report to request for review of electricity allowance because of the increase in electricity tariff nationwide.
“The welfare committee also submitted our request for diesel allowance, because of the epileptic electricity supply, the astronomical hike in the price of diesel and the fact that Justices require electricity to work at home.
“Recently, the Chief Registrar served Justices with an internal memo, that electricity would be supplied to the court between the hours of 8am and 4pm daily, for lack of diesel.
“The implication of this memo is that the Justices must finish their work and close before 4pm. With all due respect, this is the peak of the degeneration of the court; it is the height of decadence, and clear evidence of the absence of probity and moral rectitude.
“This act alone portends imminent danger to the survival of this court and the Judiciary as an institution, which is gradually drifting to extinction. The Judiciary is an arm of government.
“The Supreme Court of Nigeria, just like the Presidential Villa and the National Assembly, is the seat of the Judiciary as an arm of government. The implication of the memo is that this arm of government is potentially shut down. May God never allow that day.
“The committee also requested for the restoration of our monthly Internet allowance, because we require uninterrupted Internet service in order to have access to materials online to write our judgements.
“With regard to Justice’s vehicles, several are due for replacement, while the new Justices have not received their full complement of vehicles to date. Moreover, some of the vehicles supplied to the Justices are either refurbished or substandard.”
Another source in the apex court gave more insights into the challenges facing it.
The source said that apart from welfare problems, there are issues affecting the performance of the judges, including the non-signing of the amended Rules of Court for almost three years.
The justices complained of lack of opportunities to attend two to three trainings in a year.
The source added: “The state of health care in the court has deteriorated. The Supreme Court clinic has become a mere consulting clinic. Drugs are not available to treat minor ailments. There is general lack of concern for Justices who require immediate or emergency medical intervention.
“The Rules of Court are the immediate tools employed by Justices to dispense Justice to Court users. The amended Rules of Court have been kept for almost three years now, awaiting signature. We strongly believe the new rules will aid speedy dispensation of Justice.
“At the meeting we also discussed training. In the past Justices were nominated to attend two to three foreign workshops and trainings per annum with an accompanying person for reasons of age.
“Justices have only attended two workshops in Dubai and Zanzibar. They were not accorded the privilege of travelling with accompanying persons as was the practice. We demand to know what has become of our training funds.
“The National Assembly has increased the budgetary allocation of the Judiciary. We find it strange that in spite of the upward review of our budgetary allocation, the court cannot cater for our legitimate entitlements.
“Another issue discussed was the provision of qualified legal assistants. We are aware that even lower courts provide legal assistants for their Justices and Judges. The Supreme Court, apart from being the highest court in the land, is a policy court.
“We are confronted with various complex legal issues of national significance with the addition of time bound matters coming in between our regular court sittings. We require qualified legal assistants in order to offer our best.”
An official of the apex court, who spoke with our correspondent off-the-cuff after one week of investigation, said the problems were not the CJN’s fault.
He said: “There were issues between the CJN and the Supreme Court Justices but they have been resolved by a former Justice of the court, Justice Sidi Bage Muhammadu I, who is the Emir of Lafia.
“In fact, the last of such peace meeting was held last Thursday and a permanent reconciliation sealed on Friday. Bage made many shuttles until he brokered peace.
“The challenges are connected with the delay in cash backing the Supreme Court budget. It is one thing to have the budget on paper; it is another thing to release the funds to the court. The release takes some time.
“We are all aware of the economic problem facing the country. The Executive cannot dispense the cash it does not have.
“Again, the Supreme Court has been receiving N110billion since 2018 without any increase. The salaries and allowances of the Justices were last reviewed in 2017. Where is the fault of the CJN?
“Concerning electricity supply, it is a general problem in the country. Even at that the CJN ensures that supply is available from morning till 6pm.
“The high cost of diesel is not the making of the CJN, who is not even in charge of the coordination of the basic needs of the court. We may need to adjust the budget to increase the diesel allowance of the Justices. It also means, some services will suffer.”
On accommodation, the source added: “I think what happened was that some Justices were not comfortable with the accommodation provided for them for security reasons. I think every Justice has accommodation now.”
Asked of the outcome of the peace meeting, the official said: “The CJN will take action on the Rules of the court; we will adjust budget to cater for the comfort of justices and there will now be regular consultations on the operation of the court to avoid miscommunication of this nature.
“I think the CJN and Supreme Court Justices are now on the same page. Those of us in the administration will implement all the resolutions agreed upon by the parties.”

News

NDLEA Arrests Four Notorious Female Drug Dealers In Four States

Published

2 days ago

June 8, 2026

The Tide

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested four notorious female drug dealers in Edo, Imo, Kano, and Gombe states.

The Director of Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi, made this known in a statement in Abuja, yesterday.

Giving a breakdown, Babafemi said that in Edo, an intense sweep of notorious drug hotspots within Benin City by NDLEA operatives on June 2 led to the arrest of four key traffickers, including three females.

“At Uyosa, Benin City, two female suspects were nabbed with a cocktail of illicit substances, including 176 grams of skunk, 65g of Loud, and 5 grams of Methamphetamine.

“Along Agbor road in Benin City, another female suspect, 21-year-old Anita Abraham, was apprehended with 95 grams of Scottish Loud and 329 grams of regular Loud.

“At Upper Mission, Benin City, a male suspect was arrested with a diverse cache of psychotropic substances consisting of Loud, Colorado, Swinol, and Methamphetamine.

“A swift operation by operatives in Kano State on Thursday, June 4, led to the arrest of a 19-year-old suspect, Saifullahi Lawan at the Kafi area of Madobi, with 40 blocks of skunk weighing a total of 38 kilograms,” NDLEA said.

In a related development, Babafemi said, operatives in Gombe state intercepted a 28-year-old suspect on June 1 near Dantiti Plaza in the Tumfure area of Gombe.

“The suspect was caught with 15,000 capsules of tramadol,” he said.

He said the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy activities by NDLEA Commands and formations equally continued across the country in the past week.

Reacting to the string of successful operations, the NDLEA Chairman, retired, Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa commended the officers, men and women of the Imo, Edo, Kano, and Gombe commands for their resilience and vigilance.

Marwa also praised their counterparts in all the commands across the country for pursuing a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.

He re-emphasised that the agency remains fully committed to dismantling drug supply chains and would continue to target traffickers regardless of age, gender, or concealment methods.

News

Navy Intercepts Over 135,000 Litres Of Stolen AGO In Rivers

Published

2 days ago

June 8, 2026

The Tide

The Nigerian Navy says its operatives under Operation Delta Sentinel have intercepted over 135,000 litres of suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) during separate operations in Rivers State waterways.

Director of Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, said the operations were carried out by personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder around the Onne and Abonema axis.

He said the seizures were made during routine patrols aimed at curbing crude oil theft and illegal fuel transportation across creeks in the state.

In one of the operations, naval personnel intercepted a fibre boat at the entrance of Owogono Creek in Ogu-Bolo Local Government Area carrying drums and jerrycans filled with suspected stolen AGO.

According to him, the occupants abandoned the boat and fled into nearby creeks, while the vessel and about 63,000 litres of product were recovered.

In another operation around Abonema in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area, patrol teams intercepted a wooden boat conveying about 72,000 litres of suspected illegally refined AGO concealed in sacks.

The Navy said the products were being transported through waterways for onward distribution before the operation disrupted the movement.

Folorunsho said the recoveries highlight the continued exploitation of creek networks by criminal elements for illegal petroleum product transportation.

He added that all recovered items were handled in line with established procedures on anti-crude oil theft operations.

The Navy reaffirmed its commitment to intelligence-driven operations aimed at dismantling illegal oil networks and protecting Nigeria’s maritime economic assets.

News

PERM SEC Tasks PUBLIC SERVANTS TO EMBRACE ACCOUNTABILITY

Published

2 days ago

June 8, 2026

The Tide

The Permanent Secretary of Rivers State Ministry of Information and Communications, Dr Honour Sirawoo mni, has charged public servants to embrace accountability and prudent management of public resources, stressing that government funds must be utilised responsibly.

Dr. Sirawoo made the assertion during the 41st anniversary of The Rivers State Television (RSTV), in Elelenwo.

He noted that public service demands commitment and sacrifice, urging workers to justify the opportunities entrusted to them through diligengence and productivity.

“All I try to do is to see that we have value for every kobo that we spend and value for our time.

“Government has a social responsibility to provide opportunities, but when you have one, you must guard it through hard work and ensure your presence is justified,” he stated.

The Permanent Secretary further appealed to workers to see themselves as ambassadors of their respective institutions, adding that government remains committed to creating employment opportunities and improving public service delivery.

Also speaking, former Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr (Mrs.) Christiana Atako, praised the station’s professionalism and consistency despite operational challenges.

“We have never been disappointed. In spite of all the challenges RSTV had at that time, they never failed us. They carried our stories very well,” she said.

Dr Atako encouraged staff members to continually improve themselves through training, education and professional development in order to remain competitive in the evolving media industry.

Earlier, Acting General Manager of RSTV, Ambassador Paul Damgbor, described the anniversary celebration as an opportunity to reflect on the station’s journey of over four decades and appreciate those who have contributed to its development.

Pastor Damgbor said that the station had recorded remarkable improvements in recent months through the acquisition of digital cameras, computers as well as upgrades in audio and visual production facilities.

“We have seen great change. We were able to get new brand digital cameras and improve on our audio. We have also provided new computers for key departments, including News, Programmes and the Library,” Damgbor remarked.

He also unveiled a commemorative magazine chronicling the history and achievements of the station, describing it as a valuable reference material for preserving RSTV’s heritage.

The Acting General Manager, however, expressed concern over the theft of critical equipment from the station’s transformer, a development he said had forced the organisation to rely heavily on generator power supply.

The Senior Pastor of Gateway International Church, Pastor George Izunma, who gave a short charge during the event, urged media practitioners to uphold the ethics of journalism and remain committed to accuracy in reporting.

“You are pressmen. You are okay to doubt, but verify,” he advised, stressing the importance of credibility and responsibility in the profession.

He equally highlighted the need to “ask the help of God, sow a seed of help, and step into something as if you have help” stressing the need to move by faith for growth.

Some participants at the event also raised concerns about employment opportunities while commending RSTV’s growth and contributions to public enlightenment in Rivers State.

A major highlight of the celebration was the presentation of an award to the Rivers State Ministry of Information and Communications in recognition of its diligence and service to the people of the state. Dr Honour Sirawoo also received a special award for his contributions to the growth and development of RSTV.

Awards were equally presented to outstanding members of staff of RSTV for exemplary performance and their dedication to duty.

The event also featured the unveiling and launch of the RSTV commemorative magazine as well as a tour of the station’s newly built cafeteria and other facilities.

The celebration marked another milestone in the station’s 41-year history and reaffirmed its commitment to excellence in public broadcasting.