Federal High Court denies judge’s alleged defiance to redeployment

The Federal High Court has refuted a report of alleged defiance of a judge, Simon Amobeda, to redeployment to a new division.

The court issued the denial in a statement by its Director of Information/ICT, Catherine Christopher, on Wednesday.

“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 posting,” the statement said.

Ms Christopher explained that a circular had been issued earlier, on 12 July, from the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, John Tsoho, mandating Mr Amobeda and six other judges to report to new divisions.

However, on 9 August, the said, another circular was issued which reversed the initial postings of the seven judges.

“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, should remain at their then respective judicial Divisions,” the statement read in part.

She continued, “The reversal by the Chief Judge of the initial posting was as a result of certain administrative exigencies.”

According to the statement, other Judges affected by the later circular are M. G. Umar from Enugu to Kano; R.N Aikawa from Kaduna to Katsina; S.M Shuaibu; Evelyn N. Anyadike from Awka to Warri and Isa Adama Dashen, from Yenagoa to Osogbo, “which were equally reversed.”

The Federal High Court urged the public to disregard the misleading report that has been circulating while also advising journalists to always verify the sources of their news reports.

Backstory

The Federal High Court’s statement was in response to a report that Mr Amobeda, a judge serving in the Kano division of the court, had refused to leave the Kano division despite a transfer order to report to the Lokoja division, Kogi State.

Mr Amobeda has garnered significant attention due to the role he played in the case between the 15th Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado-Bayero, and the Kano State Government. He also gave a recent notable ruling concerning the local government elections in Kano State.

The judge had sacked the 44 chairmanship and councillorship candidates of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), ordering the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) to accept a new list of candidates submitted by the faction led by the recognised state chairman of the party, Dalhatu Usman.