Federal High Court set to begin Annual vacation

The Federal High Court will on July 27, proceed on its annual long vacation for the year 2020.

In a circular issued by the Chief Judge of the Court, Justice John Tsoho, notifying the General public, the long vacation is to commence from Monday July 27, and end on Friday Sept. 25 while court activities are to resume on Monday Sept. 28.

The vacation is made in pursuant to the provisions of Order 46 rule 4 (d) of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2019.

“For the purpose of allaying concerns, it should be understood that the importance of the Judge’s Annual Vacation cannot be over-emphasized; more than ever, it is important that the morale of Judges is revitalised.

“This is moreso because throughout the period the lockdown occasioned by the Coronavirus pandemic (Covid-19), Judges of this court remained focused and rendered essential services despite untold attendant hardships and uncertainties,” Tsoho said.

According to the circular, only divisions such as Abuja, Lagos and Port Harcourt will remain functional during the vacation due to the volume of litigations within the areas of jurisdiction covered by them.

It further states that litigants are at liberty to approach any of the aforementioned divisions of courts which is nearest to their jurisdiction.

The circular provides that “Only cases of extreme urgency such as arrest of ship and Fundamental Rights cases are to be entertained.

Meanwhile, in Lagos, Justices Rilwan Aikawa and Nicholas Oweibo are scheduled to sit as vacation judges during the period.

The CJ wished their Lordships a happy vacation in advance.