The Nigerian Bar Association, Gombe State branch chairman, Barrister Benjamin Sati, on Monday decried the state’s continued use of outdated Bauchi laws after 28 years since creation, saying that such is not good the state judiciary.
Our correspondent reports that Gombe was carved out from old Bauchi in 1996.
Speaking at the 2024/2025 legal year ceremony held at the High Court Complex Sati noted that Bauchi on the other hand had revised such such while lawyers still quote them within the court rooms.
He said, “Gombe State lacks codified body of laws, relying instead on outdated laws from Bauchi State this situation is untenable and we we urge the government to expedite the compilation and the publication of the body of laws.
‘Like I did say we still cite laws of Bauchi State 1990, 1991, when the same law has been reviewed two times by Bauchi. So perhaps we are citing non existing laws to buttress our argument in court which is not good for the judiciary.”
Speaking further the NBA chairman decried poor funding in the state’s judiciary sector, saying “Judiciary funding is inadequate making it the least funded in the North-East this has caused challenges. We urge government to increase funding to facilitate seamless operations of the judiciary staff.”
While decrying the possibility of losing Gombe division of the Court of Appeal, Sati urged government to extend more support to the jurists to make stay in the state stress-free, “Stability of Appeal Court in Gombe, the incomplete residences for justices and staff of Court of Appeal poses risk of its relocation. We appeal for swift completion of its accommodation to secure the court’s presence in the state, as we speak the court is sitting in Maiduguri. There are moves to relocate the court to either Yobe or Borno States,” Sati added.
Responding, Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General Barrister Zubair Umar, said government had awarded the contract for the production of the laws of Gombe State, “Over 60 per cent of the funds earmarked has been paid to the contractor. But as we all know the contractor can’t go into full production until there is a law backing the move. The governor has sent executive bill to the house of Assembly seeking the approval of the house of Assembly. It has to be passed by law. We hope before the middle of the year; I’m not the contractor but I think it will be ready by then,” Umar added.
On support to the Appeal Court justices to forestall relocation of the Gombe division, Umar said the state would not lose the opportunity adding that the state has made arrangements to ensure they enjoy conducive environment.
“We were told they will stay in our temporary accommodations for two years, they said the Court of Appeal headquarters will ensure residences under construction are completed unfortunately until today nothing has been done. If someone says we are not taking care of them (justices) I don’t know what else is expected us; we have given them accommodations, power supply and regular water supply,” Umar added.
On her part, Chief Judge of Gombe State Halima Mohammed, noted that within the year under review the state judiciary recorded landmark achievements.
She added, These statistics represent the meaningful progress we have achieved they are not just numbers but represent continuous dedication to improving access to justice in high court level 616 cases were filed 555 cases were disposed of. There 781 cases pending in the year under review they span from both civil and criminal cases and underscores justice delivery in the state.”
In his goodwill message, Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Yahaya, commended the judiciary for its achievements in the past year, particularly in the speedy resolution of cases at all levels.
Yahaya said, “Your commitment to justice has been instrumental in maintaining law and order in our dear state.”
The governor emphasised the need for judicial reforms to ensure the speedy administration of justice and decongestion of prisons. “A responsive and effective judiciary is essential to addressing the expectations of our people, ensuring fairness, and safeguarding the rule of law,” he noted.
To address challenges in the judiciary, Yahaya announced plans to appoint more judges and supporting staff to strengthen the judiciary and ensure accessible justice for all. He also highlighted efforts to improve the welfare of judicial staff through promotions, capacity-building programmes, and training initiatives.
Yahaya further emphasised the importance of modernising the judiciary through digital transformation, saying, “We have supported the judiciary in implementing innovative tools to enhance efficiency, streamline processes, and speed up the administration of justice.”
The governor also reiterated his administration’s commitment to enhancing physical infrastructure.
