An industrial high court on Friday in Abuja has ordered the upward review of judges’ salaries.
Sebastian Hon, a senior advocate of Nigeria, filed the suit before the labour court to request that the pay of Nigerian judges be raised.
The national assembly and the National Judicial Council had tried unsuccessfully to settle the dispute outside of court.
The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission and the attorney-general of the federation were also joined as defendants.
Adegboyega Awomolo, counsel to the claimant, in his final address submitted that the salaries and allowances of judicial officers remain unchanged since 2008.
The judge held that the current salaries and allowances of judicial officers in the country are not only abysmally low but embarrassing.
To this end, Judge Obaseki-Osaghae ordered the Federal Government to commence a monthly payment of N10 million to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), N9 million to other justices of the apex court; President of the Court of Appeal, N9 million while other justices of the appellate court N8 million, Chief Judges of both Federal and States HIgh Courts N8 million, while judges of the federal and states HIgh Courts N7 million.
The judge held that the refusal of the government to review the judicial officers’ salaries and allowances for 14 years was unconstitutional, unlawful, and should be compelled to do the needful.
Obaseki-Osaghae lamented that it is unfortunate that justices and judges who are ministers in the temple of justice have become victims of injustice in the country.
