Justice Aisha Bashir, Chief Judge (CJ) of Nasarawa State has cautioned judges to resist the influence of their family members and bad friends in order not to compromise in the discharge of their duties.
The CJ made the call on Friday in Lafia at the inauguration of 30 new Magistrates who were staff, but converted after obtaining degrees in Law and graduated successfully from the Law School.Bashir advised the new Magistrates to adhere to their oath of office and secrecy and put God first in all that they do in order to succeed.She also advised the Magistrates to limit their social activities and must always be neutral and decide cases in accordance with the provisions of the law.“
You should adhere strictly to your oath of office and oath of secrecy in your new status,” she added.The CJ said that the Magistrates would soon start being pressured by family members and friends to change their decisions.He advised those that always attempt to influence Judges decisions to tell their lawyers to prove their cases in the court.“You will be left alone when you succumb to such pressures and take wrong decisions and it backfires,” the CJ added.”
This is the first time that large number of Magistrates were appointed and inaugurated since the state was created in 1996.“The last time few Magistrates were appointed was in 2012, hence the need for this appointments to fill in the vacuum created by dead, retirement, appointments to higher courts, and resignation among others,” she added.She also warned the magistrates against handling cases they do not have jurisdiction over, adding that anyone found culpable would be sanctioned.The CJ said any Judge or staff of the judiciary caught indulging in corruption would face the consequences of his or her action.
Earlier, Abdullahi Shams-Shama, Chairman, Magistrates Association of Nigeria (MAN) in the state lauded the management of the state judiciary for approving the appointments of such number of Magistrates.
He commended the CJ for creating more courts and renovating the existing once across the state.
He also lauded Governor Abdullahi Sule of the state for the car loan he approved for all their members in the state.
The Chairman of Magistrates in the state however appealed that the government should implement Nasarawa State Harmonization of Condition of Service for their members to make them more comfortable to discharge their responsibilities. (NAN).
