BY MIJINYAWA AL-SIRAJDEEN
The Chief Judge of Niger State Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik has announced the operations of Special courts for small claims in Niger state Judiciary.
The Special small claims court was earlier established through a Gazette which come into operation in October 10th 2018,
To this end, the general public, litigants and legal practitioners particularly the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA),have been directed to approach the Special courts to file their processes
The establishment of the Special courts was part of the efforts of the chief Judge to decongest the workloads of the High courts in the state.
This was contained in a press release signed by the Director of Media and publicity of the Niger State Judiciary Alhaji Abubakar Ahmed Nami and made available to Journalists stating that the courts are now in operation in four out of the twenty five Local government areas of Niger state.
According to the press release, the four local governments are Senior Magistrate Court two Bida, chief Magistrate Court Kontagora, Chief Magistrate Court two, Suleja and Magistrate court Seven Minna , adding that plans are on ground to establish these courts across the remaining twenty one local government areas.
The statement further disclosed that the special small claims courts were established via the Niger State Gazette No. 8 Vol 23 of 10th October 2018.
Abubakar Nami had quoted the chief judge that lawyers and their litigants have been directed that cases three Million naira (N3,000000), should be filed in the established courts ” and not in the high courts for speedy dispensation of justice”.
The Special small claims courts according to the Chief Judge is aimed at making the high courts to concentrate more heinous cases and Business of the courts calling on the public to abide by the directives.
