COVID-19: Bayelsa CJ orders indefinite suspension of court sittings

The Chief Judge of Bayelsa state, Justice Kate Abiri, has ordered the indefinite suspension of court sittings in the state as against Thursday the earlier scheduled date.

Abiri gave the directive in a statement by Mr. Julius Nyananyo, Head of Media and Information, Bayelsa Judiciary, which was made available to the media on Wednesday in Yenagoa.

She explained that the initial Thursday deadline was for the commencement of a first instance of two weeks suspension of proceedings.

The chief judge however, said all court sittings in the state hab now been suspended till further notice.

Abiri said the suspension was pursuant to further directives from the office of the Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Ibrahim Tanko-Muhammad, in view of the current lockdown measures put in place by the federal government.

“It is also in furtherance to the Bayelsa state government’s directive for staff on Grade Level 01 to 12 to stay at home, as measures taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria,” she stated.

According to the chief judge, in order to take further preventive steps in tackling the reality of coronavirus in the country, all judges, magistrates and staff are advised to strictly adhere to the directive.

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Explaining further, she said the directive was aimed at protecting judges, magistrates and other staff of the courts as well as litigants from contracting the disease.

The chief judge however, said the court would entertain only extremely urgent, essential or time-bound matters according to the extant laws, and deliver judgment if any, during the period.

She called on the general public to take cognisance of the consequences of the disease and added that the decision was in the best interest of public health of court users.