The Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Walter Onnoghen, on Saturday, swore-in Justice Abdu-Kafarati as the Acting Chief Judge of the Federal High Court.

Justice Walter Onnoghen

Kafarati, who is from Kwami, Gombe State, was born in 1954 and became a Judge of the Federal High Court on October 31, 1991.

He took over this position from Justice Ibrahim Auta whose tenure will expire by midnight today, Saturday, as he would have clocked 65 – the mandatory retirement age for judicial officers within his cadre, by Sunday.

While performing the swearing-in ceremony in the main Courtroom of the Supreme Court, the CJN urged the acting CJ to avoid anything that could cause embarrassment to the judiciary.

Onnoghen advised the new CJ to stick to the path of justice, and be guided always by the Constitution that he had sworn to.

He urged him to be fair to all, and reminded him of their responsibility to restore the pride and confidence that people had in the judiciary.

He also told him not to get blackmailed or intimidated, but to do and say the right thing at all times, if he wants to sleep well and snore at night.

The CJN also said that the swearing-in was done during the weekend to avoid a vacuum in the leadership of the high court, jokingly adding “That is why we are here today. Even if it has not been done before.”