The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Tanko Muhammad, on Monday failed to show up at the training of judges on Alternative Dispute Resolution.
Justice Muhammad’s absence at the training organised by the National Judicial Institute (NJI) comes amid reports that he had resigned from the highest judicial office in the land.
Channels Television had reported that Justice Muhammad had resigned as the Chief Justice of Nigeria. According to sources, he resigned on Sunday night, citing ill-health as the reason for his decision.
However, when contacted, the Special Adviser on Media and Communication to CJN, Ahuraka Yusuf Isah, said, “All I know is that he’s going to declare open a workshop this morning at the NJI (National Judicial Institute).”
As the usual practice, the training sessions of judges by the institute are usually declared open by the CJN or any of his representatives.
While the CJN did not send any representative to the event, no justice of the Supreme Court was sighted at the training held in Abuja.
In the absence of Justice Muhammad and any of his representatives, the Administrator of the institute, Justice Salisu Garba, declared the session open.
Until his resignation, according to reports, Justice Muhammad was seriously ill. News of his resignation broke barely a week after 14 justices of the Supreme Court wrote to him to lament the dilapidated state of affairs in the apex court.
