The Bayelsa Government and Lawyers in the state have
decried the continued closure of Federal High Court and National Industrial
Courts in Yenagoa, Bayelsa capital for six months.
Two judges presiding over the courts are currently
answering to allegations of corruption involving some judges.
The judges are Justice Terse Agbadu-Fishin of the
National Industrial Court.Yenagoa Division, and Justice Aliya Nganjiwa of the Federal High Court Yenagoa
Division.
Reacting to the development, on Friday, Mr Kemeasuode Wodu.Bayelsa Attorney-General
and Commissioner
of Justice said that the government of Bayelsa was worried as the non sitting
of the two judges for six months.
He explained that the development had taken a negative
toll on the dispensation of justice in the state affecting litigants, lawyers
and those awaiting trial.
He said that the Bayelsa government had taken steps by appealing
to the leadership of the judiciary at the federal level to ensure that the
situation was remedied.
“I personally led a delegation of Yenagoa and Sagbama
branches of Nigerian Bar Association to the Chief Judge of Nigeria, Chief Judge
of Federal High Court and Chief Judge of National Industrial Court to draw
their attention.
“In addition to the visits, we also wrote letters and we got
assurances that the matter would be looked into, may be we can take further
steps by reminding them because six months is a long time,” Wodu said.
Also Chairman of Bayelsa chapter of Nigeria Bar
Association Mr Eric Derie noted that the non siting of the two courts had
adversely affected lawyers in the state as their cases had suffered delays with
associated pains on theirclients.
Derie said that the judges were yet to be tried and urged
the leadership of the courts to either re-instate them pending when the
government was ready to try them or replace them.
“The non availability of the judges for a period of six
months has delayed a lot of cases and those courts are indeed very busy courts
ranking amongst the busiest courts in Nigeria.
“On the average they list about 20 cases daily and we do
not want to see a situation where people will resort to self help,” Derie said.
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