Magistrates, suspects board public transports to go to Court in Niger State – Findings

In Niger State, Magistrates and criminal suspects standing trials have resorted to boarding public transport when going to Court with suspects sometime paying for transport of magistrates, CAPITAL POST findings has revealed.

This is even as some magistrates have their sittings in Courts outside the state headquarters which they often board public vehicles along with litigants and defendants standing trial on criminal related cases in their Courts.

Our correspondent who boarded same vehicle from Minna to Kotangora penultimate week, discovered how a magistrate with Court file along some suspects travelled with him in a commercial vehicle, wondering what have become of Niger State Judiciary.

The development gave opportunity to findings in the neighbouring Kogi, FCT, Nasarawa, Zamfara and Kebbi which was discovered that those State have official vehicles purchased by their respective governors to ease movement to their stations.

The ugly and undignified situation CAPITAL POST further gathered had in recent time caused unpleasant embarrassment to three Magistrate who boarded commercial vehicles along with some suspected criminals who were tried by one of the Magistrate in the same vehicle with his colleagues.

According to the Magistrate who begged for anonymity for security reasons said: “My self and two of my colleagues boarded the same commercial vehicle along with a suspect that was arraigned in my court to attend a function. He was able to recognize me as the Magistrate that tried him. However, he didn’t say anything but I wasn’t comfortable throughout the Journey”

The former governor of Niger State, Abubakar Sani Bello donated thirty seven numbers of Peugeot saloon cars to some Magistrates and Shariah Court Judges in 2021 with a promise to complete the remaining vehicles to those that were not given.

The Chief Judge of Niger State Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik had during the 2023 legal year drawn the attention of Governor Mohammed Umar Bago to the issue, reminding him to assist in the supply of the remaining vehicles, but as at this report, nothing has been done.

The Chief Judge reminded the governor that his predecessor had some times in 2021 provided 37 vehicles to the Magistrate with the promise to provide them with the remaining ones.

“The promise he couldn’t fulfill before the expiration of his tenure.

“Your Excellency, I want to use this forum to remind you to provide them with the remaining vehicles. It will interest you to note that some of the Magistrates enter public transport along with litigants appearing in their court which is undignified of them” the Chief judge posited.

Speaking in a telephone interview with CAPITAL POST on Thursday, the Chairman Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Minna Branch Barrister Abdulkadir Mohammed Waziri, confirmed the development and described the plight of the Magistrates boarding public transport along with litigants as undignified of their position and a risk to their lives.

He said Magistrates in the State Judiciary deserve their own cars like what is obtained in other States of the Federation stating that Niger state should not be an exception.

“Magistrates in other parts of the country were provided with vehicles but our Magistrates in Niger State enter public transport with suspects that appear in their courts which is very dangerous to the Magistrate.

“I’m appealing to both the Niger Chief Judge and the governor of Niger State to as a matter of necessity provide them with a vehicle to safeguard their lives” he asserted.