Courts in Kaduna on Tuesday adhered to Gov. Nasir el-Rufai’s directives that workers on Grade Levels 01 to 12 should stay at home to curb the spread of Coronavirus.
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NAN also reports that the Kaduna State Judiciary on March 23 restricted entry into Magistrates’ and State High Courts premises to certain people as part of measures to contain the coronavirus in the state.
Chief Judge of the state, Justice Muhammadu Lawal-Bello, also ordered that only parties whose cases are to be heard, their witnesses and counsel, will be allowed into the courtroom at any sitting time, subject to a maximum of ten persons at the same time.
A visit to several courts by the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN), shows that although, litigants, prosecutors, legal counsel, magistrate, judges and clerks were on ground, the court did not sit.
The clerks could be seen giving new adjourned dates for counsel.
Speaking to NAN, Ibrahim Sani, a court clerk at Taiwo Road Chief Magistrate Court Kaduna, said he was in court to give new dates to parties and their counsel.
”As from today, he will not be in court in compliance to the State Government directives as it is the only way to protect ourselves,” he said.
He stated that although the Chief Judge gave an order, a later order came from the Governor’s office for all civil servants from 12 down, to stay indoors.
Another clerk at the Daura Road Magistrates’ Court, Abdullahi Shehu, said since the directive was given late evening of March 23, he was in court to prepare new adjourned dates for defendants and counsel.
”As you can see, we are giving new dates for their case. We are not sitting today. The state government gave a stern warning to stay at home,” he said.
NAN observed that some litigants and their counsel were seen in the High Court complex.
NAN reports that on Monday, the judiciary ordered that only 10 persons would be allowed in court rooms in any ongoing session in both high and magistrate courts across the state.
Justice Lawal-Bello said the decision was to complement the measures taken by the state government to protect its residents from and slowing down the spread of the corona virus disease.
The state government had restricted religious services, social events and large gatherings.
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