Court orders FG to increase salaries of judicial officers in Nigeria

A National Industrial Court in Abuja has ordered the Federal Government to review the salaries and allowances of judicial officers in Nigeria.

Justice Osatohanmwen Obaseki-Osaghae, on Friday, ruled that the current salaries and allowances of judicial officers in the country is not only abysmally low but embarrassing.

The judge held that the refusal of the government to review the judicial officers salaries and allowances for 14 years was unconstitutional and unlawful.

Justice Obaseki-Osaghae lamented that it is unfortunate that justices and judges who are ministers in the temple of Justice have become victims of injustice in the country.

She therefore ordered the federal government to commence a monthly payment of the sum of N10m to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN); N9 million to other justices of the Supreme Court; the sum of N9m for the President of Court of Appeal, and N8m for other justices of the appellate court; N8m for the chief judges of both federal and states high courts N8m, while other judges of the courts will take home N7m.

The judgement followed an originating summons by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Sebastine Hon, against the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, and the National Judicial Council (NJC) as defendants.

Hon contended that under sections 4(1), (2), and 8(1) to(4) of the Nigerian Constitution with Section 6(1) (d) and parts A and B of the Fiscal Schedule to the RMAFC it is unconstitutional for the revenue commission to refuse, fail, neglect or ignore to upwardly review the salaries and allowances of judicial officers since 2008.

DT