Pix: Justice Salisu Garba Abdullahi
By Isiaka Mustapha
The Administrator of the National Judicial Institute (NJI), Justice Salisu Garba Abdullahi has emphasized the need for a modernized Judiciary as a panacea for achieving speedy justice.
Speaking on Monday while delivering a welcome address at the opening ceremony of the 2021 biennial All Nigeria Judges’ Conference held at the Andrews Otutu Obaseki Auditorium of the National Judicial Institute, Centre, Abuja, Justice Abdullahi said the NJI had always viewed the issue of modernized Judiciary as one of its cardinal mandate in order to keep up with the times in terms of its training methodology.
He said, ”In the wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Institute, under the leadership of the Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman, Board of Governors, was the first among Judicial training Institutions in Africa to commence the improvements of training capacity via virtual training platforms. This pragmatic step was taken in line with NCDC directives, and this has enabled NJI officers positively and aid their transition to a technology based system with suitable online or remote alternatives to physical hearings.”
Justice Abdullahi said the Institute in realization of the evolving dynamics had since diversified its programmes to include areas such as Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and even emerging areas such as the e-Naira, which was recently introduced by President Muhammadu Buhari.