The Supreme Court has suffered further depletion in the number of justices on its bench as Justice Musa Dattijo Muhammad bows out of service.
Justice Dattijo will leave the service on Friday, October 27, 2023, following the expiration of the retirement notice he sent to the apex court.
A statement by the Director of Information of the Supreme Court, Dr Festus Akande, on Saturday, October 21, 2023, said a valedictory court session will be held in honour of the justice.
The special court session, to be presided over by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, will take place at the Main Courtroom of the Supreme Court by 10:00 a.m. this Friday.
“The special court session is to be presided over by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, who will customarily, pay tribute to Justice Musa Dattijo alongside other major stakeholders in the nation’s justice sector.
“Justice Musa Dattijo hails from Chanchaga Local Government Area of Niger State,” the statement read in part.
Justice Dattijo’s retirement has reduced the number of justices at the Supreme Court to an all-time low of 10 judges, making it 11 justices short of its full complement of 21 justices.
During plenary on Thursday, lawmakers in the House of Representatives urged the Federal Government to appoint nine new justices to the apex court in order to expedite the hearing and determination of matters for effective and efficient justice delivery in the country.
With the latest development, the justices left on the Supreme Court bench are the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola; Justices Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, Inyang Okoro, Adamu Jauro, Uwani Musa Abba Aji, Lawal Garba, Helen M. Ogunwumiju, I.N. Saulawa, Tijjani Abubakar and Emmanuel Agim.
