Senate Confirms Mariam Mukhtar, Becomes First Female Chief Justice

The senate has confirmed the appointment of Nigeria’s first female Chief Justice, Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar.

Screening the nominee today in a Senate committee of the whole, the Senate after thoroughly drilling the nominee asked her to take a bow.

Senate President David Mark while confirming the nomination of Justice Mukhtar gave the following remarks: “We hope Justice Mukhtar will be able to improve the public perception of the judiciary and also to ensure that there is steady dispensation of justice. We can only pray that Hon. Mukhtar will improve on the condition in which she has found the judiciary at the moment. We will work together with the judiciary and the executive arm of government to ensure that there is justice, equity, and fairness and there is progress and discipline in the country.”

During the questioning session, Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar, had told the senate that rather than create special courts for terrorists, as being canvassed in some quarters, it is better to designate some judges to handle such cases.

Mukhtar said, “My take is that rather than establish special courts for terrorism, it will be better if one, two or three judges are designated to hear and take this matter. If a special court is created, as time goes on, the offences may continue to go back [wards] and diminish, and there would not be much for the judge or the court to do”.

She, however, noted that  special courts for terrorists could only be created “if there is a law (for it) in place, but right now, there is no such law. I will say the ball is in your (Senate’s) court and the executive. Once a law is passed, the judiciary will comply with it”.