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Bayelsa State Chief Judge (CJ), Justice Kate Abiri, has extended till further notice all court proceedings in state.
The judge, who had earlier ordered the immediate suspension of court sittings in the state for a first instance of two weeks, which was supposed to terminate today, April 9, 2020, yesterday said that the suspension would remain suspended till further notice.
The suspension order was contained in a statement yesterday and signed by the Head of Media and Information of the Bayelsa Judiciary, Mr. Julius Nyananyo.
Justice Abiri said that the suspension was a further directive from the office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, in view of the current lockdown measures put in place by the Federal Government and in furtherance of the Bayelsa State Government directive for members of staff on Grade Level 01 to 12 to stay at home as measures taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria.
She said the directive was aimed at protecting judges, magistrates and other members of staff of the courts from contacting the disease and litigants as well.
The CJ, however, said the court would only entertain extremely urgent, essential or time-bound matters according to the extant laws and deliver judgment if any during the period.
