The 2024 yuletide vacation for judges will start on December 16, 2024, according to Justice John Tsoho, Chief Judge of the Federal High Court of Nigeria.
A circular signed by the Chief Judge and made accessible to The PUNCH on Wednesday in Abuja states that the court will resume sitting in all judicial divisions on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, marking the end of the holiday on Monday, January 6, 2025.
This is in accordance with the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2019 (as amended), Order 46, Rule 4 (C).
According to the circular, the vacation judges will only consider cases involving the protection of fundamental rights, the arrest or release of vessels, and issues of grave national significance while on vacation.
Additionally, the only courts that would be open and able to process litigation throughout the holiday are the key judicial divisions in Abuja, Lagos, and Port-Harcourt.
The following is the list of vacation judges: “Justice Emeka Nwite and Justice M. S. Liman of the Abuja judicial division will serve as vacation judges.”
“Judges Akintayo Aluko and Isaac Dipeolu of the Lagos division and Justices P. M. Ayua and A. T. of the Port-Harcourt division will serve as vacation judges.”