Admin l Friday, February 17, 2023
LAGOS, Nigeria -The Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Kazeem Alogba has advised lawyers and others making payment for services in the courts do so through electronic payment and transfers until issues relating to payment through cash is sorted out.
Activities in the Lagos Judiciary was grounded earlier in the week following refusal of banks to accept old N1000, N500 and N200 notes following the Naira swap policy carried out by the Central Bank of Nigeria, which fixed February 10, 2023 as deadline.
In a statement signed by the AG. Chief Registrar, Tajudeen Elias, Alogba reiterated that the state judiciary is an integral part of the Nigerian Judiciary and holds tenaciously to the due administration of Justice and the Rule of Law generally.
The Chief judge advised court users to make use of the existing electronic platform for payments whilst the development was being dealt with.
Business activities at the various court registry in Lagos State were grounded last week as court officials declined to receive old naira notes from litigants and lawyers on the ground that their official bank, Polaris, is no longer accepting it as legal tender.
Specifically, the account officials at the court registry in Ikeja High Court, who spoke under the condition of anonymity said attempt to pay in old note collected by them into the government account was denied by the Polaris Bank.
She also said that they have received a directive from their boss to stop collecting old currency, noting that henceforth, lawyers and litigants must not come with the old currency because it will no longer be accepted.
The officials further said that the only currency acceptable for filing of court processes in the Lagos Judiciary Registry is the new notes.
One of the affected lawyers who did not want to mention his name confirmed that the registry at Osborne Division of Lagos High Court also rejected the old note and turned him back from filling his process.
He affirmed that the problem is not the judiciary official but that of the CBN governor who is visiting anarchy in the nation by jettison the Supreme Court order.
“Non acceptance of old notes would be catastrophe to the nation. The highest court in the land, Supreme Court order is being flouted with impunity. It is obvious that the CBN, especially the governor, Godwin Emefiele is ready to impose a state of anarchy on Nigeria by directing banks against the order of the apex court.”
