The Federal High Court of Nigeria has announced a seven-day vacation for judges to commemorate the forthcoming Easter holiday.
The court, in pursuant to the provisions of Order 46, Rule 4(c) of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2019 (as amended) declared the holiday in an issued statement announcing April 7 to 13 for the legal practitioners to celebrate the 2026 Easter festivities.
The circular signed by the Director of Information of the court, Catherine Christopher and released on Friday, informed that normal sittings would resume on April 14 across all judicial divisions in the country, however, adding that core judicial divisions in Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt and Enugu would remain open during the vacation to attend to matters of extreme urgency.
The Chief Judge of the court, John Tsoho, noted that only cases relating to the enforcement of fundamental rights, arrest or release of vessels, and issues concerning dire national interest would be entertained at the aforementioned courts during the festivities.
“The court shall resume normal sittings on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, in all judicial divisions,” the statement reads in bit.
“During the vacation period, the Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt and Enugu core judicial divisions shall remain open to the public strictly for matters of extreme urgency.
“It should be noted that only matters relating to the enforcement of fundamental rights; arrest or release of vessels; and matters concerning dire national interest shall be entertained by the vacation judges during the period,”it concluded.
It added that at the Abuja judicial division, Justices Emeka Nwite and Musa S. Liman have been saddled with responsibility of overseeing sittings during the period while Akintayo Aluko and Ogazi Nkemakonam are for the Lagos division.
Justices Phoebe Ayua and Adamu Mohammed are up for the role in Port-hacourt while the Enugu Judicial Division will be handled by Justice Mabel Segun-Bello.
The circular further advised the vacation judges and heads of divisions to promptly refer any matter requiring urgent attention to the Chief Judge for necessary directives.
It also stated that the dates announced in the circular supersede any earlier dates that might have been circulated or obtained from other sources.
