Honorable Justice J.T.Tsoho
Press center > Africa Region > Nigeria
PRESS RELEASE: 14TH JULY, 2020IHRC AWARDS THE CHIEF JUDGE FEDERAL HIGH COURT HEADQUARTERS ABUJA AND PRESENT PROTECTIVE GEARS IN APPRECIATION OF THE CHIEF JUDGE’S EFFORTS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19.
The International Human Rights Commission Nigeria today presents a plaque (certificate of Appreciation) to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court headquarters in Abuja, for his contribution to the fight and management of Covid – 19 pandemic in the Country.
Presenting a speech in the occasion, the country head IHRC Amb. Dr. Friday Sani describe the Chief Judge, Honorable Justice J.T. Tsoho, as an exemplary judicial officer who sacrifice his life and that of other judges of the federal high court in Nigeria, in other to safe guard Human Rights and protect human dignity. While explaining further on the contributions of the Federal High Court Leadership under Honorable Justices J.T. Tsoho, the Federal High Court provided a skeletal court seating for Nigerians to take care of matters of urgent importance, particularly matters of fundamental Human Rights Enforcements proceedings to disallow untold hardship or deprivation of the rights of accused persons during the lockdown of Nigeria to fight Covid – 19 pandemics. This sacrifices actually attracted the World Headquarters of International Human Rights Commission and hence the directive of the presentation of awards in honor of this great achievements.
Ambassador Sani, who prayed the Chief Judge to intervene in the ongoing trial of Ukrainian Citizens and other foreign Nationals, who have spent almost three years awaiting trials in Porthacourt prison in a matter pending before Federal High Court 5 Porthacourt, he described the long detention as unfair to the law of Natural Justice and urged the Chief Judge to intervene.
Ambassador Sani also prayed the Chief Judge to stamp His authority against the invasion of court premises by security agencies in the name of trying to arrest or rearrests suspects who are already before the court and maintained that this development will not only reduce the reputation of the Nigeria Judiciary but will also devalue the Nigeria Legal System. He made a specific reference to the rearrests of the Human Rights Activist; Comrade Omoyele Showore by the State Security Service.
Reacting to the prayers of the IHRC Head in Nigeria, The Honorable Chief Judge of the Federal High Court was full of praises to the international Human Rights Commission and promised to partner with IHRC. He therefore promised to intervene in the matter of the Ukrainian Citizens in the Porthacourt Prison within the powers of the court, but however urged the executive arm particularly the security agencies to do diligent prosecution to disallow unnecessary delay in prosecution of offenders.
On the area of security of the Federal High Court invasion, the Chief Judge said the Police leadership must do everything within their power to disallow such invasion, He described an invasion of court of law as more sinful than an attack against the embassy of a country and concluded saying no civilized country in the world will see the invasion of a court as civilized instead condemnable.
Signed
Amb. (Dr.) Friday Sani
Country Head IHRC and Multinational Volunteers Coordinator IHRC for West African Countries