THERE
are murmurs in the circle of justices of the Supreme Court over the annual
medical trips and payable allowances for such trips, the Nigerian Tribune can
reliably disclose.
are murmurs in the circle of justices of the Supreme Court over the annual
medical trips and payable allowances for such trips, the Nigerian Tribune can
reliably disclose.
The
burgeoning crisis, which centres around the number of times a justice of the
apex court could travel abroad for medical check-ups and whether the annual
appropriation for such could be taken twice, has reportedly pitted two
particular justices from the Northern part of the country against the Chief
Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloma Mariam Mukthar.
burgeoning crisis, which centres around the number of times a justice of the
apex court could travel abroad for medical check-ups and whether the annual
appropriation for such could be taken twice, has reportedly pitted two
particular justices from the Northern part of the country against the Chief
Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloma Mariam Mukthar.
The
crisis reportedly started when Mukthar cancelled an arrangement she met on the
ground, which allowed some justices of the court to travel abroad more than
once for medical trips and collect standard allowances for the trips within a
year.
crisis reportedly started when Mukthar cancelled an arrangement she met on the
ground, which allowed some justices of the court to travel abroad more than
once for medical trips and collect standard allowances for the trips within a
year.
A top
source within the judiciary disclosed that the two justices, who are now
spearheading an alleged hate campaign against the CJN, had been the biggest
beneficiaries of the multiple annual medical trips allegedly introduced when
Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu was at the helm of affairs.
source within the judiciary disclosed that the two justices, who are now
spearheading an alleged hate campaign against the CJN, had been the biggest
beneficiaries of the multiple annual medical trips allegedly introduced when
Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu was at the helm of affairs.
It was
also learnt that it was during the period that the allowance was upped from
£2,500 to £10,000, an arrangement the incumbent was said to have sustained but
insisted could only be paid once.
also learnt that it was during the period that the allowance was upped from
£2,500 to £10,000, an arrangement the incumbent was said to have sustained but
insisted could only be paid once.
Currently,
each of the 16 justices of the court takes £10,000, $24,000 and N1.75 million
(which is for first class ticket), in July every year, when they traditionally
go on vacation and medicals.
each of the 16 justices of the court takes £10,000, $24,000 and N1.75 million
(which is for first class ticket), in July every year, when they traditionally
go on vacation and medicals.
Meanwhile,
the CJN has issued a circular banning judges and justices of all courts from
traveling without clearing with the heads of the courts and her office.
the CJN has issued a circular banning judges and justices of all courts from
traveling without clearing with the heads of the courts and her office.
For
judges of the lower courts, they were to take permission from their heads of
courts, while chief judges, justices of the Court of Appeal and the apex court
must clear with her office.
judges of the lower courts, they were to take permission from their heads of
courts, while chief judges, justices of the Court of Appeal and the apex court
must clear with her office.
A
system source told the Nigerian Tribune that she took the step when she kept
running into judges and even justices of higher courts abroad without having a
prior knowledge of their journeys.
system source told the Nigerian Tribune that she took the step when she kept
running into judges and even justices of higher courts abroad without having a
prior knowledge of their journeys.
When
contacted about the medical trip allowance crisis, a top official of the court,
who did not want his name in prints, simply said “it is an internal matter.”
contacted about the medical trip allowance crisis, a top official of the court,
who did not want his name in prints, simply said “it is an internal matter.”
Source: Tribune
