Judiciary autonomy’ll enhance democracy, says Judge

Former Chief Judge of Niger State, Justice Fati Lami Abubakar, on Tuesday, requested that financial autonomy be granted to the judiciary in the country.

Justice Abubakar said that by so doing that the country would have “a strong independent and reliable judiciary as contemplated by the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended)”.

She made the remarks in a valedictory session organized in her honour by the Bar and Bench in the state.

She voluntarily relinquished her position as the Chief Judge of Niger State after only three years but having served the Judiciary in and outside the state for more than 35 years.

Justice Abubakar appreciated that some states government in the country had granted full financial autonomy to the judiciary with “good result” being seen in the states.

“I pray and call on the Niger State Government to join that wagon (autonomy) so that the Judiciary can be seen not as an independent arm of government, but also empowered to discharge its functions more efficiently for the advancement of the administration of justice in the state,” she said.