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CJN: Lack of conferencing cause of conflicting Court verdicts
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The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has blamed the frequent occurrence of conflicting court decisions on the lack of conferencing by various panels of the appellate courts.
Justice Kekere-Ekun, who stated this while declaring open the 2024 Justices Annual Conference of the Court of Appeal in Abuja Monday, expressed concern over the menace of conflicting decisions and specifically called on presiding justices of the Court of Appeal to imbibe the practice.
According to the CJN, conferencing is an essential tool that promotes mutual respect, deepens understanding and enhances the quality of the court’s decisions.
“Now, the issue of conflicting decisions is one of great concern in our community at present time, and one of the reasons that we have conflicting decisions is because many panels do not hold conferences to discuss all reserve judgments.
“It is strongly recommended that conferences be held. I cannot overemphasize this point. We are an appellate court for a reason, and the reason is that several heads are better than one.
“So holding conferences, exchanging opinions and ideas on matters that come before us is extremely essential. We have presiding justices here, and if it has not been your practice, I want to appeal to you that you start making it a practice. It is a very, very essential tool in the work that we do,” she said.
Besides, the CJN admonished that these conferences be held in good time so that where there are conflicting opinions, they can bey discussed before judgments are given, adding that the justices thoroughly examine judgments of the trial courts in order to see the reasons for those judgments before they were appealed.
“We have recent decision or a case where a wrong interpretation was given to the decision of this court that informed the decision of the trial court. So some of these things will probably be brought to light in the process of holding conference. So that is my singular message here, that conference is a safe place,” the CJN stressed.
Meanwhile, the CJN has tasked judges and justices of various courts to be introspective in order to turn around the negative perceptions of the judiciary.
She stated that through introspection, justices can examine how their collective processes can be improved, ascertain whether their judgments are addressing the root issues brought before them, as well as whether they are sufficiently attuned to the broader societal implications of their decisions.
Kekere-Ekun further stated that through introspection, the judiciary can surmount some of its challenges such as case backlogs and funding constraints.
In a goodwill, the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), noted that the theme of the conference, ‘Judicial Introspection’ is particularly instructive and indicates the intention of the organizers to use the conference as a barometer to gauge the accomplishments of the court and also provide a compass to guide optimal performance in the future.
While remarking that the Nigerian judiciary has a long and proud history of dispensing justice without fear or favour, the AGF maintained that the Court of Appeal, in particular, has to a great extent demonstrated unwavering commitment to upholding the principles of justice, equity and fairness.
“Your judgments have set precedents, shaped legal discourse, shaped the course of several aspect of our national life, and your commitment to upholding the constitution and established principles of law and natural justice has provided a beacon of hope for countless individuals and entities seeking justice,” he said.
Fagbemi, who observed that issues such as political interference, public opinion (especially perpetrated on social media), and even well-intentioned efforts to improve the justice system pose as challenge to judicial independence, urged the justices to remain vigilant and steadfast in the defence of judicial independence.
He however pledged to uphold the principle of judicial independence as the chief law officer of the country.
Earlier in her welcome, the President of the Court of Appeal (PCA), Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, observed that the ever-evolving nature of our landscape demands that we engage in regular self-reflection, evaluation and strategic planning.
“This conference offers a unique opportunity for introspection, knowledge-sharing and growth among stakeholders. We are deeply grateful for the participation of our distinguished resource persons, whose expertise and experiential knowledge will undoubtedly enrich our deliberations.
“Justices occupy a position of paramount importance in the administration of justice with their decisions exerting a profound impact on individuals, communities and society at large. Nevertheless, despite their expertise and experience, justices are not immune to the limitations inherent in human decision-making, including errors, biases, and prejudices.
“To address these limitations and ensure the delivery of justices, judicial introspection offers a mechanism for self-reflection, in-depth analysis, and ongoing improvement,” she said.
While acknowledging the benefits of social media, the PCA observed that the technological shift has also generated a range of challenges for the judiciary, including the management of online reputation, cyber-bullying and harassment.
“The preservation of the integrity of digital evidence in the context of legal proceedings is now a thing of concern. To effectively navigate these complexities, it is only appropriate for the judiciary to engage in a process of regular intellectual upliftment.
“A regular examination of existing practices, procedures and policies to ensure their efficacy, efficiency and fairness in the digital age is imperative.
“The increasing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) within the judiciary has the potential to revolutionize the administration of justice, enhancing efficiency, improving decision-making, and expanding access to justice. However, the deployment of AI in judicial contexts also raises profound questions regarding bias, transparency and accountability. To address these issues, the judiciary must carefully examine its own utilization of AI and ensure that adoption is as an adjudicatory tool and not a replacement of the judge,” she said.
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have nabbed Mustapha Abdullahi, the director-general of the Energy Commission of Nigeria, over alleged money laundering offences involving more than N500 billion.
TheCable understands that Abdullahi was arrested in Abuja on Wednesday and is currently being held in the custody of the anti-graft agency for further investigation.
Cable
. We’ll continue to work with local and international partners until illicit drug supply chain is fully broken in Nigeria, Marwa assures
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted a large consignment of Canadian Loud, a high-potency strain of cannabis, weighing 4,173.5 kilograms with a street value of Ten Billion Four Hundred and Thirty-Three Million Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N10, 433, 750,000.00) only at the Tincan Island Port in Lagos.
The successful interdiction of the illicit drug consignment followed painstaking intelligence gathering, sustained surveillance, and trailing of the container, which was transloaded a number of times since it left Toronto, Canada on 28th March, conveyed through rails to Montreal, where it was loaded on board a vessel, Jakarta express voyage, which arrived Tanger Med Port in Morocco on 15th April, discharged and reloaded on another vessel, Osaka voyage, which eventually arrived the Lagos Port on Saturday 9th May 2026.
The over two months of monitoring the shipment by the Marine Intelligence Unit of NDLEA and the Tincan Island Strategic Command of the Agency, working in close collaboration with international partners particularly the United Kingdom Home Office International Operations, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, culminated in the eventual seizure of the consignment on Tuesday 12th May during a joint examination of the container by NDLEA operatives, men of Customs Service and other security agencies.
The development comes barely four days after NDLEA operatives raided a Lekki mansion used as stash house where 4,000 parcels of same psychoactive substance weighing 2,326 kilograms worth over Five Billion Eight Hundred and Fifteen Million Naira (N5,815,000,000.00) were recovered.
The illicit drug consignments from Canada were professionally packed and concealed inside two vehicles: a used Ford Bus and a Mercedes Benz C300 car, stashed within the shipping container. Speaking during the handover of the exhibits by the NCS at the Port in Lagos on Wednesday 13th May, the NDLEA’s Director of Seaports Operations, ACG Ibinabo ArchieAbia said the “achievement once again demonstrates the effectiveness of inter-agency cooperation, international collaboration, and intelligence-driven operations in combating transnational organized crime and illicit drug trafficking.”
Reacting to the development, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the officers of the Tincan Command and the MIU of the Agency for their vigilance and professional conduct, noting that the volume of recent Loud seizures highlights a coordinated attempt by international drug syndicates to flood the Nigerian market with synthetic strains of cannabis.
“This second massive seizure in less than a week is a clear message to the international syndicates who think they can use our ports as entry points for their soul-destroying trade, that the synergy between NDLEA and Customs Service as well as other security agencies and our international partners like the Canadian Royal Mounted Police, the UK-HOIO and the US DEA is yielding fantastic results. We will not rest until every link in this supply chain is broken and those behind these shipments are brought to justice”, Marwa stated.
A prominent public affairs analyst, Prof. Okey Ikechukwu, has called for the immediate suspension and possible termination of all processes related to the proposed sale of a 40 per cent stake in the Amukpe–Escravos Pipeline, warning that proceeding under the current terms would amount to a “giveaway” of a strategic national asset.
Ikechukwu, Executive Director of the Development Specs Academy, made the remarks during an interview on Tuesday on Arise News, where he questioned the pricing, procedure, and transparency surrounding the transaction.
According to him, Nigeria is not in such financial distress as to justify disposing of a critical infrastructure asset at what he described as a “giveaway price.”
“If that is allowed to happen, it means there is no governance,” he said. “It means that people can exercise arbitrary discretion. It means that processes can be routinely violated.”
His intervention comes amid mounting controversy over the valuation of the pipeline asset. Independent assessments conducted in 2025 reportedly valued the 40 per cent stake at between $544 million and $641 million, more than double the $243 million offer associated with a transaction that collapsed in October 2024.
Ikechukwu argued that any attempt to revive or proceed with the sale on the basis of disputed or outdated valuation benchmarks would undermine due process and public confidence.
“We are not under any desperate need to sell it at a giveaway price, and that’s what appears to be happening here,” he said. “If that is allowed to happen, then it means there is no governance.”
Describing the pipeline as a “performing national asset,” the analyst noted that the facility reportedly maintains operational uptime levels of as high as 95 per cent.
“If you must sell a performing national asset, it must be sold at the right value,” he stated.
To illustrate his concerns, Ikechukwu compared the situation to a failed private land transaction later revived at an outdated price, arguing that such a practice would be unacceptable in any credible commercial environment.
He further warned that proceeding without an updated valuation process could damage investor confidence and weaken perceptions of regulatory integrity.
“But beyond all of that, where will investor confidence be?” he asked. “If you are a lender, how do you feel in this kind of environment? It might even be interpreted as sabotage.”
Beyond the question of pricing, Ikechukwu said the larger issue at stake was institutional credibility and adherence to due process.
“If that is allowed to happen, it means there is no governance,” he reiterated. “It means that people can exercise arbitrary discretion. It means that processes can be routinely violated.”
The development expert consequently called for an immediate halt to all ongoing steps connected to the proposed transaction.
“All processes leading up to the presumed attempt to sell it now should be stopped,” he said. “Quite frankly, terminated. An independent evaluation should take place so that we know the current value of what is on the table and ensure that the country does not lose money in the process.”
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