Courts are expected to attend to matters that are urgent, essential or time-bound, even during the lockdown, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, said on Wednesday.
Mr Malami’s stance is contained in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Umar Gwandu.
The directive was communicated in a letter addressed to all heads of courts dated April 1, 2020 conveying the COVID-19 Regulation 2020.
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“Speedy dispensation of justice is a cardinal principle of the Justice Sector Reform of the present administration, hence, time-bound cases are treated with dispatch and accorded the required attention,” Mr Malami said.
He said that the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Tanko Mohammed’s earlier directive was in line with the Quarantine Act 2004.
“The earlier directive issued by the Chief of Justice of Nigeria (CJN) is in tandem with the COVID-19 Regulations 2020 made pursuant to Quarantine Act 2004 by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR),” he said.
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