The Federal High Court of Nigeria will begin its annual Christmas vacation on 16 December 2024, with court activities set to resume on 7 January 2025 across all judicial divisions.
This announcement was made by the Assistant Director of Information, Catherine Christopher, in a statement issued on Tuesday.
The break, which is in accordance with Order 46, Rule 4(C) of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2019 (as amended), was approved by the Chief Judge of the court, John Tsoho.
However, the court has made provisions for urgent matters during the holiday period by appointing vacation judges.
These judges will oversee specific types of cases that require immediate attention.
The statement clarified that during the vacation, the core judicial divisions in Abuja, Lagos, and Port-Harcourt will remain open and functional, continuing to serve the public.
However, only matters deemed critical will be entertained, including cases related to the enforcement of Fundamental Rights, the arrest or release of vessels, and issues concerning national interest.
The vacation judges appointed to handle cases in the three core divisions are as follows:
ABUJA JUDICIAL DIVISION:
1. Emeka Nwite
2. M. S. Liman
LAGOS JUDICIAL DIVISION:
1. Akintayo Aluko
2. Isaac D. Dipeolu
PORT-HARCOURT JUDICIAL DIVISION:
1. P. M. Ayua
2. A. T. Mohammed
These designated judges will be tasked with ensuring that urgent legal matters are addressed promptly, even during the court’s holiday period.
