The acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tanko Muhammad, has disclosed that all Supreme Court justices are independent-minded and are only answerable to their conscience and God while writing and delivering judgments in all cases that come before them.
Justice Muhammad stated this while addressing the management staff of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, AMCON, who visited him on Thursday.
He emphasised that the judiciary can never be intimidated by anybody whatsoever in taking decisions, and the Supreme Court of Nigeria has so far remained the busiest and most hardworking apex court in the world, in view of the number of appeals received and heard on weekly basis as well as the number of judgments delivered within short durations.
Justice Muhammad, however, assured the AMCON management that the court, in spite of the rapid inflow of appeals, will always endeavour to bend over backwards, to give all cases expeditious hearing and attention with a view to oiling the wheel of the nation’s economic development.
AMCON Chairman, Muiz Banire, highlighted the major handicap of the corporation, one which he stated is the delay tactics often employed by defaulters to frustrate the cases currently pending in various courts across the country.
According to Banire, the corporation consequently acquired over 120,000 loans from 23 banks totaling N3.8trn and that additional N2.2trn was paid as financial accommodation for the then ailing banks.
The total current exposure as at April 30, 2019, according to him, is N4.19 trillion, with an excess of 7,000 outstanding obligors.
Other justices of the Supreme Court at the courtesy visit include Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, Kekere-Ekun, Musa Dattijo, Ejembi Eko,
