Nasarawa Assembly Passes Amended Area Court Law

Speaker of the Assemby, Ibrahim Balarabe- Abdullahi, while announcing the passage of the bill into law in Lafia, said that the new law also abolished the composition of 3 panels of judges in the Area courts. Balarabe- Abdullahi, who is the sponsor of the bill said that the new law would also tackle the bottlenecks in ensuring the administration of justice in the state and the country at large. According to the law, “No legal practitioner shall be barred from appearing to act for or assist any party in any civil proceedings before an Area Court in Nasarawa state. “The importance of lawyer’s appearances in court cannot be over-emphasized to the administration of justice in the country, hence the need for the amendment of the said law to allow lawyers appear in area court to assist any party in any civil proceedings. “The age long law banning lawyers from appearing in Area Courts and the composition of 3 panels of judges has now be abolished and the appointment of only graduates of law as Area Court judges is necessary, hence the need for the amendment,” he said. Balarabe- Abdullahi, who represent Umaisha/Ugya constituency, stressed that the amendment of the laws was long over due considering Archaic laws guiding the operation of the Area Courts in the state. In the meantime, the assembly have also screened and confirmed Messers Mohammed Ayitogo and Nuhu Ismaila, as Interim Management Committee chairmen of Keana and Keffi local government areas of the state.]]>