The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Hon. Justice John Tsoho, has clarified that a Federal High Court judge in Kano State, Hon. Justice Simon Amobeda, did not defy his transfer order as previously reported.
Tsoho in a statement, signed by the FHC, Director of Information/ICT, Catherine Christopher, on Wednesday, clarified that contrary to the report, Justice Amobeda remained one of the judges stationed in Kano FHC.
It was reported that Justice Amobeda was transferred in a nationwide posting, which mandated all reassigned judges to report to their new divisions, which included major centres such as Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Kano, Kwara, and Kogi.
Justice Tsoho was also reported to have issued a directive, ordering all transferred judges to conclude any cases remaining on their dockets and ensure hearings were closed before relocating Justice Amobeda, who was transferred to Kogi State, was expected to have moved to his new place of assignment.
The CJ, however, clarified that although Justice Amobeda was initially transferred to Kogi he was ordered in another directive to stay back in Kano.
The statement read “The attention of the Federal High Court of Nigeria has been drawn to a recent report published by an online platform, Sahara Reporters titled: Justice Amobeda Defies Federal High Court Chief Judge’s transfer since June, Refuses to leave Kano for Kogi’.
“Contrary to the Sahara report, Justice Simon Amobeda remains one of the Judges serving in the Kano Division of the Court. He did not defy the posting made by the Chief Judge.
“It is instructive to state for the records, that the recent posting of Judges to various Divisions of the Federal High Court was communicated in a circular from the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, the Hon. Justice John Tsoho on July 12, 2024.
“In the circular, Justice Simon A. Amobeda was initially posted to Lokoja, Kogi State. However, a subsequent circular dated August 9, 2024, instructed that Justice Amobeda, alongside six other Judges to remain at their then respective Judicial Divisions.”
It added, “The reversal by the Chief Judge of the initial posting was as a result of certain administrative exigencies. Other Judges affected were: Hon. Justice M. G. Umar from Enugu to Kano; Justice R.N Aikawa from Kaduna to Katsina; Justice S.M Shuaibu; Evelyn N. Anyadike from Awka to Warri and Hon. Justice Isa Adama Dashen, from Yenagoa to Osogbo, which were equally reversed.
“Hon. Justice Tsoho as head of the Federal High Court of Nigeria possesses the authority to reverse administrative decisions regarding judicial postings, especially when continuity in case management is crucial to the administration of justice.
“This clarification has become necessary to clear the alleged reportage surrounding Justice Amobeda’s status and to also demonstrate transparency and accountability in the process of judicial postings. We therefore urged members of the public to disregard that report by the online platform.”
The PUNCH
