By Okey Obasi
The Chief Judge of Imo State, Honourable Justice T.A Chukwuemeka -Chikeka has listed insecurity as the greatest challenge facing an organization such as the Judiciary that depends wholly on the State government for it’s financial well-being adding that before now, their greatest problem hovered around getting ample financial support for their sustainance.
Speaking at the 2023/2024 opening of the Legal year of Imo State Judiciary held at Justice Oputa High Court complex in Owerri Justice Chukwuemeka -Chikeka, who was emotional in her speech said that in recent times, insecurity has become a new deadly form of challenge that is affecting adversely, their operations in the Judiciary.
She said that this has resulted in the loss of personnel, infrastructure and man-hours adding that in the last two years alone, the Judiciary had lost more than a dozen courts.
Our investigation revealed that between 2022 and 2023, the following courts were burnt down by unknown arsonist.
They are High Court Etiti, High Court Atta Nwanbiri, Magistrate Court Okpala, Customary Court Umuneke. Others are Customary Court Ihuoma, High Court Orlu, High Court Oguta and Magistrate Court Ubulu.
While these burnt court building are yet to be re-built the after effect is that most of the High Courts in the out stations have had to relocate their operations to the already congested headquarters in Owerri.
Furthermore, it is chilling that aside from burning down courts, the insecurity problem has claimed lives of some lawyers at the bench and others at the bar.
The Chief Judge re-iterated enough cannot be said on this issue of insecurity but it has become sufficiently clear that security is local and ultimately personal.
She continued, it is true that safety is of the Lord,but much diligence and vigilance is required of each and every one of us in order to combat this menace.
