BREAKING: Crisis, uproar in the Supreme Court as justices revolt against CJN over unpaid emoluments
•Say despite N120bn budget, they lack facilities to work •No, I’m not responsible for your financial woes – CJN

The JSC also wondered how requests for legal assistants, standard health clinic, accommodation for justices, diesel and data allowance had been ignored by the CJN, despite setting up a panel months earlier that he said would look into the complaints
The committee also requested “the restoration of our monthly Internet allowance, because we require uninterrupted Internet service in order to have access to materials online to write our judgements. Your Lordship received and ignored these demands since March 24, 2022.
“The welfare Committee also submitted our request for diesel allowance, because of the epileptic electricity supply, the astronomical hike in the price of diesel and the fact that Justices required electricity to work at home”.
The justices berated the CJN further, saying that his inefficient leadership had drastically deteriorated the standards known with the nation’s highest court.
They were also concerned that Supreme Court justices sworn in since November 2020 had yet to be accommodated by the apex Court in spite of his promises.
The JSC said, “Your Lordship promised to take up the issue that day. To date, your Lordship has not taken any step in this direction.”
Buttressing their claims, the justices said their mandatory foreign workshops and training three times in a year “with an accompanying person for reason of age” have been on hold under CJN Muhammad’s watch, who has now limited their options to only Dubai and Tanzania without an accompanying person.
Furious that the CJN travelled with his entire family and personal staff, the justices demanded to know what had become of their allowances despite the judiciary gulping about N120 billion of the nation’s 2022 budget.
“Your Lordship totally ignored this demand and yet travelled with your spouse, children and personal staff,” they said, before demanding “to know what has become of our training funds, have they been diverted or is this a plain denial?
The JSC said, “We find it strange that despite the upward review of our budgetary allocation, the Supreme Court cannot cater for our legitimate entitlements. This is unacceptable!”.
It is instructive to note that the allocation of Supreme Court had been increased from N110 billion in 2021 budget to N120 billion in 2022.
The apex court justices also decried the current state of their health clinic, which they said had been reduced “to a mere consulting clinic” since drugs were not always available to treat minor ailments, thereby endangering justices who may require emergency medical intervention.
The Supreme Court justices also raised concern over an internal memo that forced them to close by 4pm over lack of diesel, an act they said proves that the apex court had sunk into unthinkable depths under Muhammad’s leadership.
According to our sources, the letter which was sent to CJN Muhammad earlier this month, caused further upheavals in the judicial circles. Incidentally, traditional rulers have tried to wade into the crisis with a view to resolving the dispute bedevilling the ranks of foremost jurists in Nigeria.
But the CJN has reacted to the unusual situation, saying that he is not responsible for the Supreme Court justices financial woes.
He, however, attributed the development to a collective woeful working condition.
Speaking through his spokesman, Mr Ahuraka Isah, the CJN stated that the Federal Government is yet to review the the entitlements of apex court justices for about 15 years now.
He said, “The problem of the justices salaries, allowances and other entitlements was instigated with the lumping of these items in the ’’Certain Political, Public and Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2008.
“For about 15 years, the Federal Government is yet to review it. That was what prompted the judiciary or the Supreme Court to devise other allowances to supplement and cushion its adverse effect.
“Come to think of it, the Federal Government did not increase judiciary budget for four years from 2018 to 2021. Only in 2022 it was increased from N110billion to N120billion. Yet President Muhammadu Buhari government appointed eight justices for the apex court within the period without budget for it.
“Mind you, two Supreme Court justices died within the period. Besides, about four retired and all that required attendant payment of gratuities and allowances for the departed and retirees.
“The CJN is not the causes of Supreme Court justices financial woes but a collective woeful working condition. CJN does not close from work till sometimes 7 to 8pm.
“Meanwhile, most of the justices’ complaints have been attended to or receiving adequate attention as they were made to know during their meeting with Justice Bage.”