The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), has directed that courts should attend to matters that are urgent, essential or time-bound even during the lockdown.
The directive was communicated in a letter addressed to all Heads of Courts dated April 1, 2020 conveying the COVID-19 Regulation 2020.
According to a statement by his media aide, Dr. Umar Gwandu, the minister said the measure is in line with the present administration’s pursuit of speedy dispensation of justice in the country.
“Speedy dispensation of justice is a cardinal principle of the Justice Sector Reform of the present administration, hence, time-bound cases are treated with dispatch and accorded the required attention,” Malami said.
Malami had given the directive of the speedy dispensation of time-bound cases in a letter addressed to all heads of court dated April 1, conveying the COVID 19 Regulation 2020.
He said that the earlier directive issued by the Chief of Justice of Nigeria (CJN) is in tandem with the COVID-19 Regulations 2020 made pursuant to Quarantine Act 2004 by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR).
