Lagos Judiciary Starts Annual Vacation, Assigns Judges for Urgent Cases
The Lagos State judiciary has begun its annual long vacation from Monday, July 22, to Friday, September 13, 2024.
A public notice signed by the acting Registrar of the Lagos Judiciary, Magistrate Tajudeen Elias, on behalf of Chief Judge Justice Kazeem Alogba, announced the start of the vacation.
The notice stated: “It is hereby stated for general information that the Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Kazeem Alogba, has, pursuant to Order 49 Rule 4 of the High Court of Lagos State (Civil Procedure Rules, 2019), approved that Monday, the 22nd day of July, 2024 to Friday, the 13th day of September, 2024, both dates inclusive, shall be the period for the long vacation.”
The statement also announced the appointment of vacation judges who will handle urgent matters in the seven judicial divisions of the state during the vacation.
In the Ikeja division, the vacation judges are Justice Iyabo Akinkugbe from Monday, July 22, 2024, to Friday, August 2, 2024; Justice Ibironke Harrison from Monday, August 5, 2024, to Friday, August 16, 2024; Justice Abdulfatai Lawal from Monday, August 19, 2024, to Friday, August 30, 2024; and Justice Aishat Opesanwo from Monday, September 2, 2024, to Friday, September 13, 2024.
In the Lagos Division, Justice Emmanuel Ogundare, Justice Serifat Sonaike, Justice Adedayo Oyebanji, and Justice Olumuyiwa Martins will preside over cases during the same periods.
For the Badagry Division, Justice Matthias Dawodu will serve from Monday, August 5, 2024, to Friday, August 16, 2024, and Justice Obafemi Adamson from Monday, August 19, 2024, to Friday, August 30, 2024.
Justice Wasiu Animahun and Justice Ganiyu Safari were appointed as vacation judges for the Epe Division.
Vacation judges for the Ikorodu Division are Justice Olufunke Sule-Amzat and Justice Rahman Oshodi, while Justice Kudirat Jose and Justice Oyindamola Ogala were appointed for the Eti-Osa Division. Justice Animaun Bashua and Justice Kafeel Dawodu were appointed for the Yaba/Surulere Division for the same periods.
The public notice stated that despite the long vacation, the Criminal Division of the High Court of Lagos State may sit throughout the vacation.
“Notwithstanding the long vacation, any case or matter may be heard by a judge during the period of the vacation (except on Sunday or Public Holiday) where such cause or matter is urgent, or a judge, at the request of all parties concerned, agrees to hear it.”
It also said: “Any application for an urgent hearing during the vacation may be made by summons in chambers, before the vacation judge or the judge before whom the substantive case is pending.”
The long vacation will end on Friday, September 13, 2024. The 2024/2025 Legal Year will commence on Monday, September 16, 2024, with New Legal Year services scheduled for Monday, September 29, 2024.“The 2024/2025 Legal Year commences on Monday September 16, 2024. Notice is further given that the New Legal Year services will hold on Monday, the 29th day of September, 2024.”