Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the Senate will on
Tuesday, November 9 debate the invasion of the residence of a Justice of the
Supreme Court, JSC, Mary Odili by security agents as an urgent matter of
national importance at plenary.
Security operatives had last Friday invaded the Abuja
residence of the apex court justice based on alleged information that “illegal
activities” were going on there.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights
and Legal Matters, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC Ekiti Central) dropped the
hint on Monday during an oversight visit to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN,
Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad in his office in Abuja.
“We cannot pretend not to be aware of the embarrassing
situation on the invasion of the residence of Justice Mary Odili on Friday
night by security agents. Without joining issue with anyone, we take the matter
seriously, by the time, we are back to a plenary session, we will discuss the
matter as urgent of national Importance,” he said,
On the budget of the judiciary in the 2022 fiscal year,
Senator Bamidele said: “It is trite to state that the 2022 budget estimate for
the judiciary is N120 billion only representing an increase in the sum of N10
billion, over the sum which was appropriated in the 2021 Appropriation Act.
“Even though this increase is not enough to meet the
competing needs and challenges of the judiciary, we must commend the present
administration for listening to the voice of reason and clamour from various
quarters advocating for increased funding for the judiciary.”
However, the Chief Justice of Nigeria disclosed that there
is no interference from the legislative or executive arm of government on the
activities of the judiciary, adding that the National Assembly has not failed
the Judiciary.
Justice Muhammad, who was responding to Senator Bamidele’s
opening remarks, said: “The legislative arm of government has not failed us,
there is nothing that we want that have not been granted by the lawmakers, you
are doing the right thing. If you see that something is going wrong with the
judiciary, call our attention to it. There is no interference from the
legislature and the executive on our activities.”
Açcording to him, the judiciary was ready to accept
correction if something is going wrong.
In her submission, the Acting Chief Registrar of Supreme
Court, Hajo Sarki Bello informed the lawmakers that 75 percent budget
performance has been recorded in terms of releases and 60 percent in
expenditure.
She said N368 million was appropriated to cater for the
official vehicles of the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the Justices of the apex
court.
The Acting Chief Registrar explained that the amount was for
the procurement of one additional vehicle each for eight newly appointed
justices in the interim, pending the availability of funds to procure the
remaining ones.
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