CJN’S SUSPENSION: LAWYERS SHUN COURT SITTING IN ENUGU AND EBONYI STATES

Court rooms in the Enugu State High Court remained scanty on Tuesday following a two-day boycott by members of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Enugu in protest of the suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Walter Onnoghen.

Reacting to the development, a member of the Nigeria Bar Association, Mr. Joseph Afam, said the action of President Muhammadu Buhari amounted to excessive executive interference.

Another member of the Association, Mr. Ejimofor Onah, explained that the move was a solidarity measure to ensure respect for the rule of law in the country.

Both respondents described the inauguration of Judges to handle election petitions as an illegality and suggested that the acting Chief Justice should be sanctioned for accepting the position in the face of all illegalities.

Radio Nigeria observed that only non-judicial staff were found on duty in their offices at the Enugu State High Court.

Similarly, members of Nigeria Bar Association boycotted court sittings in EBonyi State in compliance with a two day warning strike declared by the National Executive Council of the Association.

When Radio Nigeria visited the Judiciary Headquarters, no court was in session while few Lawyers were seen hanging around the premises.

The Chairman of NBA in Abakaliki, Mr. Festus Nweke, said the two day strike was to register their grievances over the suspension of Justice Walter Onnoghen, which he said was a violation of the constitution.

It was the same situation at Federal High Court Abakaliki as well as State High Courts in Onueke and Afikpo as all of them, including magistrates and customary courts were not in session.

EMMA NWEKE AND AMECHI ODO