Scale of Justice

Justice Rakiya Haastrup of the National Industrial Court, Abuja, on Wednesday decried a lawyer who presented the court’s name wrongly.

Mr Peter Ugwuoke, representing an aggrieved retired corporal in a suit against the Nigerian Army and Attorney General of the Federation, read out the court’s name as “National Industrial Court of the Federal Capital Territory”.

The court is known as “the National Industrial Court of Nigeria” with 11 divisions situated in Calabar, Lagos, Yola, Jos, Kano, Ibadan, Enugu, Makurdi, Oyo, Akure and Abuja as the headquarters.

The judge queried why the counsel would appear before the court without knowing the correct name of the court.

She, therefore, ordered the counsel to regularise his processes and amend the court’s name, “National Industrial Court of Nigeria”, accordingly in his document.

Ugwuoke, however, apologised for his ignorance, and asked the judge to grant him leave to amend his documents orally.

Haastrup refused the plea, insisting the counsel regularise all his processes and amendments formally before the next adjourned date.

Meanwhile, Mrs Ekwere-Bello Ikemhe, counsel to the Attorney General and Minster of Justice, drew the ire of the judge by telling the court she mixed up certain files resulting in her bringing the wrong file to court.

The judge quickly adjourned the case till Feb. 22 for hearing of preliminary objections. (NAN)