By Jude-Ken Ojinnaka, Abuja
It was an assemblage of retired and serving judicial officers at the Headquarters of Federal High Court of Nigeria, Abuja as they converged to celebrate the golden jubilee (50 years) of the establishment of the Federal High Court.
Former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) retired Justice Walter Onoghen, former Chief Judges of the Federal High Court were also attendance, including retired Justices Roseline N. Ukeje, Dan. D Abutu, Abdullahi Mustapha, Ibrahim N. Auta and others were in attendance to celebrate the 50 years anniversary with the serving Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John T. Tsoho, his brother Judges and staff of the court.
In his speech during a special court session, Justice Tsoho gave a brief history of the establishment of the Federal High Court.
The Federal Revenue Court as it was known at inception in 1973 was established by virtue of the Federal Revenue Court Decree No 13 of 1973. The court was saddled then with handling cases and matters relating only to the revenue of the Federal Government of Nigeria, more particularly Customs and Excise Duties, Banking, Foreign Exchange, Taxation of Companies, Currency and Fiscal Measures.
The court was also conferred with jurisdiction to hear and determine causes and matters arising from the operations of the Companies Decree 1968 as well as enactments relating to Copyright, Patents and Designs, Trademarks and Merchandise marks and Admiralty.
The Chief Judge narrated that upon the return to civil rule and under the 1979 constitution , the Federal Revenue Court came to be known and called the Federal High Court of Nigeria.
Matters that were hitherto handled by the Federal Revenue Court, thenceforth fell squarely upon the Federal High Court. Subsequently, the jurisdiction of the court was at different times expanded in 1993 by Decree No 107, as well as in 1999 by Decree No 60 of 1999.
“Presently, Section 251 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, (as amended) prescribes the exclusive jurisdiction of the Court.”
Justice Tsoho disclosed that at inception, the Federal Revenue Court was headed by a President with four other judges.
“As recorded in the Federal Government official Gazette No 62, Vol.60 dated 29th November, 1973, the five pioneering Judges of the court included the President, Hon. Justice Sigismund Olarenwaju Lambo; then Hon. Justice Jemonu Omoigberai Eboh, Hon. Justice Adeitan Ayinde Adediran; Hon. Justice Mahmud Belgore and Hon. Justice Frederick Okwudi Anyaegbunam.”
Justice Tsoho also dwelt on the case load handled by the court in the 2022/2023 legal year which officially closed in July 2023.
He said that a total of 142,755 cases were pending at the end of the 2021/2022 legal year and were carried over to the 2022/2023 legal year.
“Within the last legal year, a total of 15,025 cases were filed, while the total number of cases disposed off 12,870. When the left over of 2,155 cases is added to the total number of cases carried over from the previous year, being 142,755; we have a total of 144,910 cases pending at the end of last legal year.
“This comprised of 42,784 Civil cases, 36,061 Criminal cases, 41,447 Motions and 24,618 Fundamental Rights Enforcement Applications pending at the end of last legal year,” the Chief Judge said.
Speaking on the appointment of new judges, the Chief Judge said that from Seventy-seven (77) Judges last year, the number has increased with the appointment of Twenty-Three (23) new Judges to the maximum limit of One Hundred (100) Judges.
However, with the elevation of three (3) Judges to Court of Appeal and the demise of two Judges, the current number of Judges of the court is Ninety-Five (95).