Nigeria: Poor Welfare of Justices - CJN Resigns After Vanguard's Report

27 June 2022

The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Tanko Mohammad has resigned his office, citing health grounds as the rationale behind his resignation.

Mohammad's resignation is coming on the heels of allegations of poor welfare of justices of the federation, which was exclusively reported by Vanguard on the June 14, 2022 - an altercation, which led to 14 justices of the Supreme Court petitioning the Chief Justice of Nigeria.

Vanguard had reported that 14 serving justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, SCN (names withheld), are planning to confront the Chief Justice of the Federation, CJN, Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad over welfare issues.

Multiple sources had told Vanguard that the aggrieved judicial officers were disgruntled because the Supreme Court of Nigeria, under the leadership of Justice Muhammad, has worsened their situation by denying them the welfare package they are entitled to, even when the package was captured by the court's budgetary allocation.

They said the relevant Federal Government agencies saddled with the responsibility of reviewing upward their salaries and allowances have kept them on the same salary for 14 years.

The justices had been spoiling for showdown with the CJN, on the grounds that the work they do is very serious and sensitive, which ordinarily requires the appropriate authorities to take good care of them to be able to deliver as expected.

The Justices had accused the CJN of ignoring their repeated demand for improved welfare, despite the upward review of the budgetary allocation of the Judiciary.

Aside from the allegation that accommodation was not provided for new Justices that were sworn in since 2020, the aggrieved jurists accused the CJN of not allowing them to attend foreign training. The justices also alleged that vehicles that were supplied to them were either refurbished or substandard.

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