Why Our Man Stopped Judge From Delivering Judgment – Civil Defence

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC has given reasons why its personnel stopped the just retired acting chief judge of Kebbi State, Justice Elizabeth Karatu from entering a court room to deliver a judgment.

The spokesman of the corps, Mr. Emmanuel Okeh weighed in on Tuesday morning against the background of the controversy that followed the action of a staff of the NSCDC in the melee.

The controversy is against the background of the refusal of the authorities in Kebbi State to recognize or confirm Mrs. Karatu as Chief Judge despite the recommendations of the National Judicial Council, NJC. The refusal is alleged to be on religious grounds being that Justice Karatu converted to Christianity from Islam.

Justice Karatu who was the most senior judge in the state and had in that capacity performed the role of acting chief judge stepped down on July 5, 2019 on her retirement.

However, a day before she was due to retire on July 4, she was stopped by the NSCDC staff from entering the court room to deliver some judgments. It is believed that the state government perceived she was likely to deliver judgments that may be unfavourable to it.

Spokesman of the NSCDC, Mr. Emmanuel Okeh appearing on AIT on Tuesday, said the official of the Corps acted based on the orders received from Government House.

“The letter emanated from the Government House to protect the court premises. The personnel was only trying to inform the judge that the environment was under lock,” he said.

“The command got a directive from the government requesting for the deployment,” he said as he disavowed political or other motif to the action of the NSCDC staff.

“An environment that was not accessible how do you enter the environment.

The state government owns the courts, owns the property and asked us to protect. The Corps was formed with the aim of protecting property,” he said.

“The deployment was not to prevent the judge but to protect the environment. He was deployed to the place to guard the property. Whatever happened between the state government and the acting chief judge is in their own level, ours was to protect the environment,” he said.

 And For More Nigerian News Visit GWG.NG