* President Buhari reacts, Kogi State Govt. mourns
From our Correspondent, Abuja
The Chief Judge of Kogi State, Hon. Justice Nasiru Ajanah has reportedly passed on, Sunday morning, 28 June, 2020 after a brief illness.
Justice Ajanah who was 64 years of age died at the COVID-19 Isolation Centre in Gwagwalada, Abuja.
Report says he had undisclosed underlying health challenge which was worsened by the dreaded Covid – 19 complications.
Reacting, President Muhammadu Buhari in a statement signed by his Spokesman, Garba Shehu, and made available to the media, commiserated with his family, the Nigerian Bar Association and Body of Benchers.
He urged the family and all associates to find comfort in prayers and acceptance of the will of God.
President Buhari “believes the late Chief Judge made a remarkable impact on the State, his chosen profession and community, with clear evidence that his death will create a huge gap in the judiciary,” the statement said.
It was the prayer of the President
that the Almighty God grants the soul of the departed a peaceful rest, it adds.
Kogi State Government mourns!
The State government through a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo described the death as a “massive blow” to the State and her people.
“The passing of the legal luminary is a massive blow to the Government and people of Kogi State for his brilliant justice administration throughout his career as a judge and his tenure as the Chief Judge of Kogi State.
“He will be missed for his tenacity of purpose and outstanding commitment to the sanctity of the temple of justice.
“He was a collosus in the noble profession of law.
“His shoes will be impossible to fill.
“May God forgive all his shortcomings and grant him eternal life
“The State government will work with the family of the late Chief Justice to give him a befitting burial.”
Justice Ajanah’s passing is coming barely a week after the death of the President of the Customary Court of Appeal in the State, Justice Ibrahim Shaibu Atadoga.
In the heat of the Covid – 19 scare, Governor Yahaya Bello, did accused the NCDC and the World Health Organisation (WHO) of unecessarily creating panic through fraudulent increase of the virus mortality.
Expressing disbelief in the existence of Covid – 19 and debunking its presence in Kogi State, Bello claimed that he had extensively read about the virus, stating its symptoms were not new to the people in this clime.
He consequently urged Nigerians to be ‘courageous enough’ to tell the virus to return to China, its original base.
Ajanah’s Bio – data:
Justice Ajanah was born in 1956 in Okene Local Government Area of the State.
He attended the Native Authority (Central) Primary School Okene where he had his Primary Education between 1962 and 1968.
He proceeded to the Federal Government College, Keffi, in 1969 and graduated in 1973.
He also obtained a Higher School Certificate (HSC) at the same College between 1974 and 1975.
Justice Ajanah proceeded to the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he graduated with LL.B Hons and was later called to bar on completion of his law school programme.
He set up his private firm, NASIRU AJANAH & CO., in Okene where he engaged in private practice between 1985 and 1989.
He became a Judge in Kwara State High Court in 1990.
This appointment was transferred to Kogi State in 1991 when the State was created.
He was later appointed the Chief Judge of Kogi State after many years of meritorious legal career.
The late Justice had served in various capacity such as Chairman, Kabba disturbance tribunal in Kogi State (1994); Chairman, Election petition tribunal in Adamawa State (1998); Member Governing Board of Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (1999 and 2006); Chairman, Panel on Murtala Mohammed International Airport Fire Incidence (2000); Chairman, Election petition Tribunal in Akwa – Ibom State (2007) and Chairman; Election Tribunal Petition (2) in Rivers State
