“Guard Your Integrity, Resist Corruption” — CJN Charges Newly Appointed Magistrates, Judges At NJI Induction
The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has charged newly appointed magistrates and judges of the lower courts to uphold integrity, resist corruption, and deliver justice with both efficiency and fairness.
Delivering a keynote address on Monday at the opening ceremony of the Induction Course for Newly Appointed Magistrates and Judges of the Lower Courts (Batch B), held at the National Judicial Institute, in Abuja, the CJN represented by the NJI administrator, Justice Babatunde Adejumo, said the course was designed to equip the new judicial officers with the knowledge, discipline, and ethical grounding required to perform their roles effectively.
Justice Kekere-Ekun, who also serves as Chairman of the NJI Board of Governors, reminded the magistrates that their courts are often the first point of contact for citizens within the justice system, emphasising that this places a special responsibility on them to ensure that justice is not only done, but seen to be done.
“The theme of this year’s induction course, Enhancing Judicial Efficiency and Quality of Decision-Making, is apt and timely.
The legal community and the public assess us by these yardsticks. Your decisions must combine legal expertise with an appreciation of the socio-economic realities of the people,” she said.
The CJN urged the judicial officers to embrace innovations that promote speedy justice, including alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, sentencing guidelines for consistency, and technology-driven case management tools such as the Nigeria Case Management System.
She cautioned, however, that judicial independence remained the bedrock of public trust in the judiciary.
“Guard your integrity jealously. Be vigilant against corruption in any guise and avoid any perception of bias.
“Remember the words of Socrates, that a judge should ‘hear courteously, answer wisely, consider soberly, and decide impartially’,” she advised.
Justice Kekere-Ekun also commended Justice John Inyang Okoro, Chairman of the NJI Education Committee, and Justice Babatunde Adeniran Adejumo, Administrator of the NJI, for their contributions to judicial training.
She expressed gratitude to the Judicial College of England and Wales, whose experts are collaborating with the NJI in training magistrates on law, case management, sentencing, and ethics.
While declaring open the second stream of the 2025 induction course, the CJN expressed hope that the training would equip participants to meet the demands of justice in a fast-changing society.
The administrator of the National Judicial Institute, Justice Babatunde Adejumo, urged the newly appointed magistrates to take the ongoing induction training seriously, warning that absenteeism would not be tolerated.
He stressed that participants who fail to attend sessions would not be issued certificates at the end of the programme.
Justice Adejumo further charged the magistrates to uphold integrity in the discharge of their duties, emphasising that they must steer clear of corruption.
He also reminded them to respect the constitutional rights of defendants, particularly about the grant of bail, noting that suspects should not be denied bail when the law provides for it.
