Court Of Appeal Relocates Kogi Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal To Abuja

Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, President of the Court of Appeal, has ordered the relocation of the Kogi Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal from Lokoja to Abuja.

According to a statement released by David Umar Mike, Secretary of the Tribunal, future sittings will take place at the National Judicial Institute on Umar Yar’Adua Way, and litigants are advised to note the venue change.

While the statement did not specify the reason for the relocation, a high-ranking tribunal source who spoke with Vanguard indicated it was due to security concerns.

The source said that members of staff of the tribunal had been attacked on several occasions in Loloja.

The source said, “Just last Monday, tribunal officials were attacked on the way to the office.

“Armed men just pounced on the officials. They robbed them of everything. They took away all the documents that were in the car.

“Copies of petitions and personal belongings, official receipts, processes like subpoenas, and official stamps were all stolen.

“Generally, thugs are frustrating the job, and the lives of our officials are at stake, making it difficult to work there.”