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Conflicting Court Orders: CJN Vows To Deal With Errant Judges

Published

12 months ago

July 10, 2024

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, on Wednesday, decried what he termed as unpalatable cocktail of misleading and conflicting judgements emanating from courts of coordinate jurisdictions in the country.

He said the National Judicial Council, NJC, has already activated the process that would ensure that errant judges are made to face the consequence of their “despicable and odious conduct.”

Speaking shortly after he inaugurated 22 judges into the Court of Appeal Bench, the CJN, lamented that the avalanche of frivolous interlocutory orders emanating from the various courts, have continued to make a mockery of the judicial system.

He said: “I have made it known at different fora that we have been treated to an unpalatable cocktail of misleading and conflicting judgments as well as frivolous interlocutory orders emanating from courts of coordinate jurisdictions, which have literally attempted to make a mockery of our judicial system and flagrantly desecrate the revered Temple of Justice.

“Several cases of such abound across the length and breadth of the country. This is, largely, an embarrassment to our jurisprudence, and we will never handle it with levity.

“Punitive measures must definitely be meted out to such erring Judges. We have already activated the process of reining-in such errant Judges with a view to making them face the consequence of their despicable and odious conduct.

“As Judicial Officers, we have to continually remind ourselves the fact that we are not occupying our respective positions to serve ourselves, but the Nigerian masses; and the best way we can serve them is by doing what will make them feel safe in our hands and also trust us to always deliver the right judgments that will not be tainted by sentiments, emotions or other clandestine considerations.”

Justice Ariwoola, who also swore in 12 legal practitioners that were recently appointed as judges of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court, implored the new judicial officers to always abide by their oath of office.

He described as unprecedented, the number of Justices that were elevated to the bench of the appellate court, noting that the last time such large number of judicial officers were inaugurated, was on June 28, when the court got 18 Justices at the same time.

“Today’s ceremony is an indication of the perilous times that we are currently in, which has resulted in an upsurge in litigation.

“Several unfathomable crimes are being committed in the country, aside from the usual political matters that have made litigation’s to go on alarming rise.

“No court in the land is spared of this litigation deluge, as it were. We are constantly on our toes and the dockets are ever increasing in response to the challenges of the time.

“This underscores the fact that Nigeria is fast emerging as a front-line crime-infested country that we all have to urgently curtail,” the CJN stated.

He said the enormous task of cleaning the Augean stable rests squarely on the Justices.

“Your Lordships, so, you must hastily fasten your belt and roll up your sleeves to face the challenges head-on.

“In other words, you should hit the ground speeding at a supersonic velocity; and not just running. You must redouble your pace to catch up with the expectations of the sprawling community of litigants.

“As judicial officers, you have a divine mandate on earth that you must discharge with unveiled honesty and sincerity. You must give good account of yourselves to justify your elevation to the Court of Appeal.

“In the next couple of months, we shall be having two governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States, respectively.

“As usual, the courts will be besieged with Plethora of petitions. It is our statutory duty to hear all matters that come before us and adjudicate according to the laws of the land.

“We must not falter; and we must not tread the path of infamy. Yes, it is true that we cannot please everyone through our actions and work, but with the right application of the law and the Constitution of the land, which we all have collectively pledged to uphold, we can go a long way to do those things that our conscience will be very proud of; and the generality of the Nigerian citizens will equally be happy about.

“Every position we attain in life always avails us that unique opportunity to do something novel and impactful, especially if there was any previous act of wrongdoing or misapplication of discretion.

“With Your Lordships’ elevation to the higher Bench today, you have to be very mindful of the enormous confidence the public is now reposing in you vis-a-vis their expectations.

“Like we often say, to whom much is given, much is expected. Your Lordships must not rest on your oars, as the onus now lies more heavily on you to discharge your judicial duties more dispassionately, discretionally, and transparently.

“So, you must, individually and collectively, guide your loins to do more to earn lasting trust and integrity.

“Your conduct and disposition must tally with the yearnings and aspirations of the generality of the citizenry,” the CJN added.

Headline

Televangelist, Jimmy Swaggart, Is Dead

Published

1 hour ago

July 1, 2025

Editor

Jimmy Swaggart, the popular Pentecostal preacher and televangelist who garnered national headlines for his extramarital affairs, has died at the age of 90 following a cardiac arrest.

Swaggart’s death was announced in a post on his official Instagram handle on Tuesday.

The post reads, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”

“2 Timothy 4:7-8. Today, our hearts are heavy as we share that Brother Swaggart has finished his earthly race and entered into the presence of His Saviour, Jesus Christ. Today was the day he has sung about for decades. He met his beloved Saviour and entered the portals of glory. At the same time, we rejoice knowing that we will see him again one day.

“For over seven decades, Brother Swaggart poured out his life preaching the gospel, singing songs of the faith, and pointing millions to the saving power of Jesus Christ and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. His voice echoed through nations, his music softened hearts, and his message never changed: Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

“He was not just a preacher—he was a worshiper, a warrior, and a witness to the grace and mercy of God. He was a man whose faith was steadfast and always entered whatever door the Lord opened. And the Lord honoured that faith. Please continue to lift up Sister Frances, Donnie, Debbie, Gabriel, Jill, Jennifer, Clif, Matt, Joanna, Sam, Ryder, Abby, Lola, Harper, Navy, Harrison, Caroline and Mackenzie in your prayers.”

Swaggart was born on March 15, 1935, in Ferriday, Louisiana.

At the age of 8, he had a powerful religious experience that made him feel called to become a preacher.

At 17, he married 15-year-old Frances Anderson in 1952, and they had a son named Donnie.

In 1961, Swaggart was ordained as a minister in the Assemblies of God, the largest Pentecostal denomination in the U.S.

Swaggart is also known for his musical talent.

A cousin of rock ‘n’ roll legend Jerry Lee Lewis, Swaggart had a successful gospel music career, selling more than 17 million albums over the years.

His ministry expanded into media.

In 1969, he started a radio show called “The Campmeeting Hour.”

A year later, he launched The Evangelist, a religious magazine. In 1973, he entered television with a 30-minute program titled “The Jimmy Swaggart Evangelistic Association Presents Jimmy Swaggart.”

He also began airing live recordings of his church services in multiple languages.

In the 1980s, Swaggart led large evangelism crusades in the U.S. and internationally.

One of the biggest was held in October 1987 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, drawing an estimated 125,000 attendees.

Headline

Trump Says Will ‘Take A Look’ At Deporting Musk

Published

3 hours ago

July 1, 2025

Editor

US President Donald Trump said Tuesday he could consider deporting Elon Musk, after the South African-born billionaire slammed his flagship spending bill.

Trump also said the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) — which Musk headed before stepping down late May — may train its sights on the Tesla and SpaceX founder’s government subsidies.

“I don’t know. We’ll have to take a look,” Trump told reporters at the White House when asked if he would consider deporting Musk.

“We might have to put DOGE on Elon. You know what DOGE is? DOGE is the monster that might have to go back and eat Elon.”

Trump doubled down on the threat when he said he believed Musk was attacking his so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill” because he was annoyed that it had dropped measures to support electric vehicles (EV).

“He’s losing his EV mandate. He’s very upset about things, but you know, he could lose a lot more than that, I can tell you right now. Elon can lose a lot more than that.”

Trump made similar comments on his Truth Social network late Monday, saying that “without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa.”

Musk, the world’s richest person, was Trump’s biggest donor in the 2024 election and initially maintained a near constant presence at the newly elected president’s side.

They had an acrimonious public falling out this month over the bill and the tycoon has reprised his criticisms in recent days, accusing Republicans of abandoning efforts to place the United States at the front of the EV and clean energy revolution.

Musk has also renewed his calls for the formation of a new political party called the “America Party” if the bill passed.

AFP

Headline

Over 14 Million People Could Fie From US Foreign Aid Cuts – Study

Published

3 hours ago

July 1, 2025

Editor

More than 14 million of the world’s most vulnerable people, a third of them small children, could die by 2030 because of the Trump administration’s dismantling of US foreign aid, research projected on Tuesday.

The study in the prestigious Lancet journal was published as world and business leaders gather for a United Nations conference in Spain this week hoping to bolster the reeling aid sector.

The US Agency for International Development (USAID) had provided over 40 percent of global humanitarian funding until Donald Trump returned to the White House in January.

Two weeks later, Trump’s then-close advisor — and world’s richest man — Elon Musk boasted of having put the agency “through the woodchipper”.

The funding cuts “risk abruptly halting — and even reversing — two decades of progress in health among vulnerable populations”, warned study co-author Davide Rasella, a researcher at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal).

“For many low- and middle-income countries, the resulting shock would be comparable in scale to a global pandemic or a major armed conflict,” he said in a statement.

Looking back over data from 133 nations, the international team of researchers estimated that USAID funding had prevented 91.8 million deaths in developing countries between 2001 and 2021.

That is more than the estimated number of deaths during World War II, history’s deadliest conflict.

•⁠ ⁠HIV, malaria to rise –

The researchers also used modelling to project how funding being slashed by 83 percent — the figure announced by the US government earlier this year — could affect death rates.

The cuts could lead to more than 14 million avoidable deaths by 2030, the projections found.

That number included over 4.5 million children under the age of five — or around 700,000 child deaths a year.

For comparison, around 10 million soldiers are estimated to have been killed during World War I.

Programmes supported by USAID were linked to a 15-percent decrease in deaths from all causes, the researchers determined.

For children under five, the drop in deaths was twice as steep, at 32 percent.

USAID funding was found to be particularly effective at staving off preventable deaths from disease.

There were 65 percent fewer deaths from HIV/AIDS in countries receiving a high level of support compared to those with little or no USAID funding, the study found.

Deaths from malaria and neglected tropical diseases were similarly cut in half.

Study co-author Francisco Saute of Mozambique’s Manhica Health Research Centre said he had seen on the ground how USAID helped fight diseases such as HIV, malaria and tuberculosis.

“Cutting this funding now not only puts lives at risk — it also undermines critical infrastructure that has taken decades to build,” he stressed.

A recently updated tracker run by disease modeller Brooke Nichols at Boston University estimates that nearly 108,000 adults and more than 224,000 children have already died as a result of the US aid cuts.

That works out to 88 deaths every hour, according to the tracker.

’Time to scale up’ –

After USAID was gutted, several other major donors, including France, Germany and the UK, followed suit in announcing plans to slash their foreign aid budgets.

These aid reductions, particularly in the European Union, could lead to “even more additional deaths in the coming years,” study co-author Caterina Monti of ISGlobal said.

But the grim projections are based on the current amount of pledged aid, so could rapidly come down if the situation changes, the researchers emphasised.

Dozens of world leaders are meeting in the Spanish city of Seville this week for the biggest aid conference in a decade.

The United States, however, will not attend.

“Now is the time to scale up, not scale back,” Rasella said.

Before its funding was slashed, USAID represented 0.3 percent of all US federal spending.

“US citizens contribute about 17 cents per day to USAID, around $64 per year,” said study co-author James Macinko of the University of California, Los Angeles.

“I think most people would support continued USAID funding if they knew just how effective such a small contribution can be to saving millions of lives.”

AFP