Wike Pledges Land Allocation to Abuja Judges

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has made a significant commitment to bolster the infrastructure and support for the judiciary within the nation’s capital. This announcement was made during a courtesy visit by a delegation of Federal High Court Judges, led by Chief Judge John Tsoho, at the minister’s office in Abuja on Thursday.

A statement released by Anthony Ogunleye, the Director of Press in the FCT ministry, revealed that the 2023 supplementary budget for the FCT includes provisions for the construction of the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal building. Mr. Wike expressed his dedication to strengthening the judicial system and emphasized the need for all three arms of government to collaborate for the betterment of the nation.

“Before now, the president had given me the go-ahead to allocate lands to the Legislature, the Executive, and the Judiciary,” stated Mr. Wike, emphasizing the importance of ensuring that all branches of government receive equal support.

The minister also pledged to allocate land to Federal High Court judges, albeit in a phased manner, taking into account the substantial number of judges. He recognized the need for accessible infrastructure to accompany these allocations to ensure their practicality.

“What remains now is how it should be done because the number is so large. What we have decided to do is do this in phases. Some allocations were done in the past, but unfortunately, some of the places are inaccessible. I think it is baseless to allocate land where people have no access—that is, infrastructure. It does not make any sense. So, we will allocate lands to you in places that are accessible,” Mr. Wike explained.

In response to Mr. Wike’s commitment, Chief Judge John Tsoho expressed gratitude for the minister’s unwavering support of the judicial arm of government. He commended Mr. Wike’s dedication to the welfare of judicial officers, which had set a standard for other states.

Mr. Tsoho highlighted the challenges faced by judges, including transfers that take them to various locations and the need for policies to enhance the welfare of both serving and retired judges, especially when they are not posted to their states of origin.