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CJN decries persistent allegations of inefficiency, delayed justice, bias, in judiciary

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The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has said it is worrisome that in spite of concerted efforts, allegations of corruption, delays in justice dispensation and bias still persists in the judiciary.

Justice Kekere-Ekun said this on Monday in Abuja while declaring open the 2025 hybrid refresher course for judges of superior courts of record.

“In spite of our collective efforts, challenges persist; Allegations of corruption, delays in the dispensation of justice, and perceptions of bias or inefficiency remain issues of concern,” she said.

The CJN said the impact of the challenges was being felt deeply within the judicial system.

“They undermine public confidence, weaken the judiciary’s authority, and create a dangerous gulf between the courts and the society they serve.

“The onus is therefore on us to confront these challenges head-on and reaffirm our commitment to judicial excellence,” she said.

While noting that the judiciary served as the guardian of justice, the final arbiter in disputes, and the ultimate custodian of constitutional order, she added that it however, did not exist in a vacuum.

“Its authority and effectiveness are inextricably linked to the trust and confidence that the public reposes in it.

“Without public confidence, the judiciary’s moral authority is diminished, and its ability to discharge its constitutional mandate is impaired.

“However, public trust is neither assumed nor conferred, it must be earned and safeguarded through judicial integrity, professionalism, transparency, and an unwavering commitment to justice.”

“As judicial officers, we bear the solemn responsibility of ensuring that justice is dispensed with fairness, impartiality, and efficiency.

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“It is not enough to be impartial; we must also be seen to be impartial. The perception of bias or impropriety can be as damaging as the reality itself,” Kekere-Ekun said.

Speaking, the Administrator of the National Judicial Institute, retired Justice Salisu Abdullahi said that the theme of the course, “Strengthening Public Trust and Confidence in the Judiciary,” was apt.

He said this was because public trust was the very foundation upon which the judiciary’s legitimacy was built.

“However, trust in the Judiciary, like any cherished value, is neither automatic nor enduring without deliberate action.”

He told the participants that public confidence must be earned through conduct that exemplified impartiality, integrity, and diligence.

Abdullahi said that the course would afford the judges the opportunity to reflect and deliberate on diverse issues, which had the capacity to diminish the trust and confidence reposed in the Judiciary.

“It will inevitably foster the proffering of workable solutions to address identifiable challenges, and also aid the mapping out of actionable strategies for bolstering the citizenry’s faith in the judicial system,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) reports that the refresher course is part of the institute’s effort at ensuring continuous professional development of judicial officers.

NAN also reports that participants include judges of the Federal High Court, National Industrial Court and State High Courts, as well as Kadis of the Sharia Court of Appeal and judges of the Customary Court of Appeal. (NAN)

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Why we awarded Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project to Hitech – Minister

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Federal Government on Saturday explained why it awarded the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project to Hitech Construction Company Ltd.

The Minister of Works, Sen. Dave Umahi, made the explanation during an inspection tour of the highway project in Lagos.

“Some people say that it didn’t go through a competitive bidding.

“I want to explain this: we have three types of procurement allowed by law,” he said.

Umahi listed the three types as restrictive procurement, selective/competitive bidding, and open bidding.

“When we started this project, we asked for companies that have up to five wirtgne concrete paver.

“You will agree with me that until we started this, the concrete paver was not common in Nigeria as it is today.

“We had to look for a company that had done this kind of project before, and that is Hitech.”

He noted that Hitech reconstructed the Oworonshoki Apapa Road.

“We saw that they got it right; so, we called them on Section 1.

“Then, we used restrictive bidding, which we sent to BPP (Bureau for Public Procurement) and we sent to the Federal Executive Council and they looked at it and corrected where they should and passed it accordingly.

“When other companies started bringing in some equipment, because they saw that Ministry of Works is insisting, especially where we have high water table, that we must use concrete, they started to bring in concrete equipment,” he said.

Umahi said that the Federal Government consequently opened Section 2 of the project to selective bidding and selected some companies and they bid.

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He said that Hitech won the bidding.

The minister said that in Section 3A and 3B, the same thing happened.

“We have not gone outside the law, we have not gone outside the Procurement Act.”

He emphasised that President Bola Tinubu did not recommend any company for the highway project.

“ I want to say that there is no corruption in it. It is very transparent,” he added. (NAN)

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Police recover pistol from 2 suspected armed robbers

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The police command in Lagos State has detained two suspects ages 27 and 32 for alleged armed robbery.

The command’s spokesperson, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the arrest to newsmen in Lagos on Saturday.

He said that the suspects were apprehended on Friday at 4:00 a.m. at Sangotedo, Lekki-Epe Expressway.

“The police on early morning patrol apprehended the two suspects.

“One automatic pistol and five live ammunition were recovered, ” the spokesperson said.

According to him, the suspects are currently undergoing interrogation for possible prosecution.

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Umahi denies restricting Obasanjo from using Lagos-Calabar coastal highway

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The Minister of Works, Sen. Dave Umahi, on Saturday clarified that he never said former President Olusegun Obasanjo should not use the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway when completed.

Umahi made the clarification during an inspection tour of the highway project in Lagos.

He reacted to some comments to the effect that he said Obasanjo should not use the road for describing the highway project as wasteful.

“The point is that the former president is not only my former president, he is also my father and he is my in-law; so, I have my respect for him.

“ I never said the former president should not use the road.

“He is not the only one among the few criticising the road project.

“ I said, ‘If you say the road is not good, you have a choice to use it or not to use it.’

“That is what I said. I didn’t say the former president should not use the road,” Umahi told journalists during the inspection tour.

The minister said that the 700km road project was never wasteful but a vital investment with huge socio-economic benefits.

“If you say the project is wasteful, it is an ambiguous statement. Is it wasteful in the sense that it shouldn’t have been?

“Is it wasteful in the sense that we are going to be earning carbon credit from the concrete pavement and from solar light?

“Is it wasteful in the sense that along this corridor, we are going to have windmill energy connecting all the communities we are going through?

“Is it wasteful that it is from Lagos to Calabar? Well, we have the Sokoto-Badagry Highway project, which is 1,068km,” he asked.

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The minister added that the Federal Government was executing a 462km Akwanga-Jos-Bauchi- Gombe Road project, among other projects.

“ Why then single out this one to say that it is wasteful?”

He said that travelling from Lagos to Calabar through the highway would take only five hours, reducing travel time.

“It is an evacuation corridor; so, the amount that the Federal Government spends in doing transhipment will be saved.”

Umahi said that in the next six months, section one of the highway project would be completed.

“Is it wasteful in the sense that this road is going to be passing a number of existing roads?

“Is it wasteful in the sense that the Bua Refinery, this is passing through it?

“Is it wasteful that it is going to be an evacuation corridor for Dangote Refinery?

“I cannot see the sense in saying that it is wasteful,” he added.

Umahi also said that the project had nothing to do with corruption.

He said that Obasanjo praised his administration’s transparency and achievements when he was the Governor of Ebonyi.

“He is my father. If a father suddenly says that his son is corrupt, it is up to the son to say he is not corrupt.” (NAN)

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