300 LAWYERS JOLT FOR TEN POSITIONS IN THE FEDERAL HIGH COURT

Approximately 300 private lawyers and magistrates have been selected for the second stage of the Federal Judicial Commission (FJSC) recruitment process to fill 10 vacancies in the Federal High Court (FHC).

The shortlisted candidates, selected from the six geopolitical zones of the country, were cut from a list of nearly a thousand lawyers who initially requested openings to the FHC.

Judicial sources confirmed that the 300 candidates will be interviewed by the FJSC in July and will have to go through another round of talks at the National Judicial Council (NJC) in August, after which the successful candidates will be announced and rendered September .

A letter to the shortlisted candidates, which was signed by Registrar II, Taiwo Akapo, informing them of their selection.

Although the recruitment exercise is still at an early stage, the letter ordered candidates to go to the Department of State Services (DSS) for authorization after the holidays of Sallah.

He also directed them to provide the Chief Justice of the Federal High Court, Ibrahim Auta, with the relevant judicial documents as a prerequisite for their appointment to the ten FHC positions.

Magistrates are required to submit five judgments in disputed cases two years before the appointment exercise, whereas legal practitioners must submit six judgments obtained in the disputed cases five years before the appointment exercise.

However, the letter exempted court clerks and qualified lawyers who served or worked in departments and ministries and who were shortlisted to present cases.

Applicants must also obtain Form A of the NJC of the chambers of the Chief Justice.

FHC last month announced its intention to recruit ten additional judges to address the challenges posed by the shortage of judges.

As a result, Auta sent a notice to all heads of jurisdiction and to the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) informing them of the decision to appoint new high court judges.

The opinion, a copy of which was obtained, read as follows: "I am writing to inform Your Lordships, the Honorable Attorney General of the Federation and the Minister of Justice and all the Chiefs of Courts, that Federal High Court will soon begin the examination of candidates for a possible appointment as judges of the Federal High Court.

"I therefore invite Your Lordships, the Attorney General of the Federation and all the Heads of Courts to recommend to all competent jurists in Nigeria to be appointed judges of the Federal High Court.

"Your seigneuries must attach the curriculum vitae of the candidates and your comments on the candidates who state their state, local government and senatorial districts.

"Your recommendations should arrive at my rooms no later than May 1, 2017."

In the past, the court had lagged in the determination of cases because of the shortage of judges.

The Court, originally designated as the Federal Income Tax Court, was established by the Federal Income Act, 1973.

It was renamed the Federal High Court by Article 228 (1) and 230 (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1979.

As the first trial court, the FHC has grown impressively since its inception in 1973 and has become an important pillar of the federal judiciary.

Of its five pioneer judges, the court now counts 69 judges and 36 judicial divisions distributed throughout the country.