By Lillian Okenwa
Weeks ago, a panel investigating violations of human rights by the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, and other police units awarded N287million in compensation to 74 beneficiaries of police brutality.
The panel was set up by the Federal Government in November 2020 following the “ENDSARS Protest” which was triggered by nationwide allegations of Police brutality. The first batch of N146million compensation was awarded on Dec. 23, 2021 to 26 persons. The panel which handled 297 petitions across Nigeria was Chaired by Hon. Justice Suleiman Galadima.
Hon. Justice Suleiman Galadima, (rtd.) who retired from the judicial service on October 10, 2016, after six eventful years at the Supreme Court was born on October 10, 1946 in Shafa Abakpa Village, Nasarawa State.
His Lordship joined the Qua Iboe Mission (QIM) Primary School, Shafa from 1953 to 1957. In 1957, having spent four years at QIM, his Junior Primary School came to an end, and it was time to advance to Senior Primary School. In the whole of then Keffi- Nasarawa Divisions, there was only one Senior Primary school, and it was at Laminga; somewhere between Keffi and Nasarawa. The journey from Sofiyo to Laminga to resume at the boarding school marked the first time he would board a vehicle – being a lorry which at that time, was the only means of transportation.
He attended Katsina-Ala Provincial Secondary School from 1960 till 1964, becoming the deputy head boy of the school in 1964, as well as the captain of the college volley ball and rugby teams, as well as a member of the athletic team. In 1965, he proceeded to the Government College, Keffi, for his higher school certificate. He was elected senior prefect in 1966. The effect of these positions of responsibility at an early stage contributed indelibly towards forging his lordship’s future career.
Subsequently, his Lordship joined Kirkpatric and Partners (an Engineering Consultancy Company) in Kaduna as a technician between May 1966 and October 1967. In due course, he became a market research assistant with Lever Brothers, Kaduna and Kano between 1967 and 1968. He attended Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria – first bagging a diploma in law in 1969 and later embarking upon an LLB degree after a brief working spell with Customs and Excise. Between May 1960 and October 1975, he was revenue officer/ legal officer with Customs and Excise. While with the Customs, he performed the following duties amongst others: collection and accounting of revenue, supervision of revenue officers, investigations of customs cases, preparation of legal opinions, advice and prosecution of cases.
Galadima was appointed higher registrar, High Court of Justice, Jos, Plateau state, and he served from May 1976 to August 1977. Between August 1977 and June 1978, he did the compulsory one-year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme in Enugu, the capital of the old Anambra State. And during his service year, he was Assistant Legal Aid leader, State Counsel at the ministry of justice, and later, secretary Law Review Commission.
After undergoing the NYSC programme, he proceeded to the Nigerian Law School, Lagos and was called to the bar in 1978. He eventually received a Master of Laws degree from the University of Jos, in 1985. His Lordship was a Magistrate from July 1978, rising to the rank of Acting Chief Magistrate, before being seconded to become the Deputy Company Secretary, Ajaokuta Steel Company, then in Kwara State (in the present day Kogi State), where he served till November 1984. His first posting as a Magistrate was to Bukuru in Plateau state. It was a nine-kilometre journey that took him an hour from Jos town to Bukuru in public transport with litigants and suspected criminals alike.
At that time, the conditions of service were very discouraging – no internal transfers, ill-equipped court-room. In fact, he shared the same office (Chambers) with his secretary. There were no incentives; little salary and allowances. He earned about N875 in a year; less than N1,000. He spent two years at Bukuru before gaining his promotion. Thereafter, he practiced law under the firm of Galadima-Husaini & Co., until March 1990, when he was appointed Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice of the old Plateau State.
In May 1991, Suleiman Galadima was elevated to the bench as a Judge of the High Court of Plateau State, and when Nasarawa State was created in 1996, he became the pioneer Chief Judge of the State, serving from October 1996 until December 9, 1998, when he was promoted to the Court of Appeal bench.
It was during his time at the High Court that the then Chief Justice Nigeria, Hon. Justice M.L Uwais held that when the position of Chief Judge is vacant in a state, the most senior judge in the High Court becomes the Chief Judge and not the President Customary Court of Appeal.
Justice Uwais made more clarifications in an interview with The Authority Newspaper on Wednesday 6 April 2016.
Q. When Nasarawa state was newly created, the President of the Customary Court of Appeal wanted to be Chief Judge but you insisted that the most senior judge from the High Court should be the state’s, Chief Judge. What was your reason?
“The two courts are different. You have the High Court and the Customary Court of Appeal. When it comes to the volume of work in terms of jurisdiction, the jurisdiction of the High Court is heavier than that of the Customary Court of Appeal.
“The Customary Court of Appeal is concerned with marriage, chieftaincy, things that are akin to customs. Whereas the High Court has jurisdiction that covers almost everything except that which is allocated to the Customary Court of Appeal and the Sharia Court of Appeal.
“Then the Chief Judge is the Chairman of the Judicial Service Commission of the state. Of course, the President of the Customary Court is a member and the Grand Kadi is also a member of the state Judicial Service Commission. The two courts are separate but it is very clear that the leadership is with the High Court.
“The reason why persons in the Customary Court of Appeal want to be Chief Judge is because when they leave the High Court to head Customary Court of Appeal, they see themselves as equal to the Chief Judge. But if they should go back to the High Court, they won’t be at the level of the Chief Judge, they would be lower. If you want to determine the seniority of two judges, it does not arise. You determine the seniority in the hierarchy of courts and the High Court is clearly higher.
“So, in the Nasarawa case, it is on that basis, I took the view that the Chief Judge was to come from amongst judges of the High Court; not for the President of the Customary Court to just cross over and become the Chief Judge. That was the policy and that is still my view.”
His Lordship made his mark on the appellate bench, serving at various divisions such as Lagos and Enugu, before going on to be the Presiding Justice in Port Harcourt division from September 2006 to 2010. His first posting was to Enugu. This was in 1998 shortly after he was sworn in. Elevated to the Supreme Court of Nigeria on September 16, 2010, he is a recipient of the National Honours of Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR), which was conferred on him in 2011. He was later honoured as Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR). He has also been bestowed
His Lordship is presently Chairman of Corruption and Financial Crime Cases Trial Monitoring Committee (COTRIMCO).
