Security beefed up in Supreme Court ahead Legal Year, 62 new SANs inauguration

 

Heavy security has been beefed around the Supreme Court of Nigeria Complex in the three arms zones of Abuja ahead of the Apex Court’s celebration of the 2022/2023 Legal Year slated for Monday, November 28.

The ceremony will also feature the inauguration of the 62 new Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) recently appointed by the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee (LPPC.

Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Olukayode Ariwoola will preside over the ceremony and also administer oath of office and oath of allegiance on the new senior lawyers.

A visit by DAILY POST to the Court’s premises showed that heavy security has been built around the area possibly to avert security breaches and ensure hitch-free proceedings.

Our correspondent observed that security operatives from regular and plain-clothed police units have been deployed to the Court’s main entrance to block unauthorized movements of human and vehicles into the Court’s premises.

It was gathered that only the specially invited guests by the Apex Court, comprising retired and serving judicial officers, top government functionaries, traditional rulers and highly placed lawyers and individuals across the country would be permitted to access the court with their vehicles.

To demonstrate the seriousness of the security arrangements, it was learnt that each of the new Senior Advocates will be allowed into the court room with only one person of his or her choice and name of the person must be submitted to the court latest 24 hours to the event.

Even with the special invitation card that admits only one guest, DAILY POST gathered that such guest would still be screened from the main gate and would be turned back if his or her name is not on the list already made available to security operatives for clearance.

However, a source at the Court told our correspondent that the security arrangements were not unusual, adding that they are aimed at controlling crowd because of the huge number of SANs to be inaugurated who may wish to be in court with large crowd to rejoice with them.

Besides, the source explained that the security situation in the country calls for caution, hence, the decision of the Court to be pro-active with security arrangements and not to scare anybody or group.

The Director of Information and Press of the Supreme Court, Dr Festus Akande confirmed to our correspondent that all is now set for the twin events.

Akande revealed that the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Olukayode Ariwoola would use the occasion to present a state-of-the-Judiciary address that would highlight the performance of the Apex Court and by extension, the Nigerian Judiciary in the outgoing 2021/2022 legal year.

According to him, all the programmes billed to mark the new legal year are to begin at 10 a.m. in the main courtroom of the Supreme Court.