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NAJUC tasks CJN on press centres, galleries in courts

The National Association of Judicial Correspondents (NAJUC), Lagos Branch, has asked Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Tanko Muhammad to provide press centres and galleries in courts across the country.

 

The association in a letter signed by its chairman, Peter Fowoyo, lamented that courts in the 21st century were still being built without press centres and galleries to aid judiciary correspondents in the discharge of their constitutional duties. NAJUC also drew the CJN’s attention to a mirage of challenges confronting judiciary reporters in the discharge of their duties owing to rules of court in place to curtail spreading of COVID-19 and the constraint of space in courtrooms.

 

Copies of the letter were also sent to the President, Court of Appeal; President, National Industrial Court; Chief Judge, Federal High Court and the Chief Judges of the 36 states in the country. Intheletter, NAJUCsymphatizedwiththejudiciary overlossesitsufferedinthewakeof violencethattrailed the #EndSARS protests, where the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal, as well as the High and Magistraste’s courts in Lagos were torched by hoodlums.

 

The association further revealed that its press centre located within the premises of the Lagos High Court in Igbosere, which was recently refurbished with N12 million and commissioned by a representative of the Deputy Court Registrar (DCR) in October 2019, was among several other offices and buildings set ablaze by the hoodlums

 

According to Fowoyo, furniture, computers, internet facility, air conditions, fridges, televisions and assorted drinks, were some of the items lost to the unfortunate incident.

 

The letter reads: “We hereby appeal to all heads of courts, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the President, Court of Appeal, the President, National Industrial Court, the Chief Judge, Federal High Court, the Chief Judges of the 36 states, and indeed stakeholders in the justice sector to assist in the provisions of Press Centers in all the courts across the country.

 

 

“Our courts in the 21st century are built without press centers, without press galleries for journalists assigned to the judiciary beat. It is against this backdrop that we appeal to your lordships to consider the inclusionof presscentersinallthecourtsacrossthecountry.

 

“We are not unmindful of your efforts, even in the face of intimidation and unnecessary interference by the executive arm, to ensure justice is dispensed without fear or favour, and at an improved timeframe, notwithstanding the COVID-19 pandemic. We dare to say, it can be improved upon.

 

“The rules of court during the COVID-19 pandemic and the constraint of space are preventing journalists from effectively covering the judiciary beat. While this may not be deliberate on the part of the judiciary, we must urgently address the issue so as to preserve the constitutional role of the media viz-a-viz that of the third arm of government.

 

“We, the National Association of Judicial Correspondents (NAJUC), Lagos branch commiserate with the judiciary over losses incurred during the #ENDSARS protests where the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal, Lagos High Court and the Magistrate’s Courts, Igbosere were burnt by hoodlums.

 

“As an association, we remain grateful to the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal for providing a press center, wherejournalistsfromdifferentmediaorganizations converge on daily basis to write and file stories to theirmedium. Wethankimmensely, theDeputyCourt Registrar, Mrs. Rashidat Rasheed, who has always received us into her office as an association.

 

“This press centre unfortunately, refurbished with the sum of N12 million and commissioned by a representative of the Deputy Court Registrar (DCR) in October 2019, was among several other offices and buildings set ablaze by the hoodlums.”

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