Human rights activist and President of the One Love Foundation, Chief Patrick Osagie Eholor(aka Ultimate Equals), has appealed to the Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki to do the much he can to move the Benin Division of the Federal High Court from where it is presently situated to a safer location within the city so as “to enable court proceedings resume in the state.”
In a strongly worded letter to the governor, Chief Eholor among others said: “The Federal High Court is a superior court of record as enshrined in the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended with very wide jurisdiction and endowed with exclusive powers over certain subject matters which other courts cannot entertain, section 251 of the constitution explains the exclusive and special jurisdiction of this Court.
“Over the years the Benin Division of the Federal High Court has been having serious flooding/ecological challenges which have rendered it unpassable and unacceptable to Honourable Judges, Lawyers, Staff and litigants, when it rains and even after some days.
“The cry of the leadership of the court and the Bar two years ago attracted the intervention of the Federal Ministry of Works which embarked on the construction of the access road to the court with side drains.
“Unfortunately this intervention, laudable at it is did not do much. The building housing the court is now a death trap as it likely to collapse anytime soon. The team of experts recently deployed to the site by the Federal Ministry of Works upon the appeal of the Honourable Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, to carry out integrity test on the building which now suffers cracks revealed the deadly state of the building if not urgently evacuated. This report led to the directive for closure of the court by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court.
“As earlier stated, the Federal High Court is a specialised court handling so many cases particularly drugs related matters, copy right violation, cyber offences, financial crimes etc. As we speak, there are many defendants in prison custody who cannot enjoy freedom or have their cases heard and determined.”
According to the rights activist, “the closure of this court has also greatly affected the practice of Lawyers and seriously whittled down litigation in Edo State. I therefore appeal to you, my deer Governor to urgenly intervene as you have always assured our people of making Edo State a Judicial hub.
“History will indeed be kind to you, if my appeal is attended to, because, knowing who you are, I am sure you will give it great consideration.”
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