New Notes Policy: Lagos Judiciary Deplores Electronic Payments’ Platforms

 In its efforts to ease the suffering of lawyers and litigants the Lagos State Chief Judge, Kazeem Alogba resolved to strengthen the court alternative payments platforms to make filing of cases and other court business stress free

 Justice Alogba, in a statement signed by the Acting Chief Registrar, Tajudeen Elias, reiterates that the state judiciary is an integral part of the Nigerian Judiciary and holds tenaciously to the due administration of Justice and the Rule of Law generally.

 He also advised court users to make use of the existing electronic platform for payments whilst the development was being dealt with.

Business activities at the various court registries in Lagos State were grounded last week as court officials declined to receive old naira notes from litigants and lawyers on the ground that their official bank, Polaris, is no longer accepting it as legal tender.

Specifically, the account officials at the court registry in Ikeja High Court, who spoke under the condition of anonymity said an attempt to pay in old notes collected by them into the government account was denied by the Polaris Bank.

She also said that they have received a directive from their boss to stop collecting old currency, noting that henceforth, lawyers and litigants must not come with the old currency because it will no longer be accepted.

The officials further said that the only currency acceptable for filing of court processes in the Lagos Judiciary Registry is the new notes.

One of the affected lawyers who did not want to mention his name confirmed that the registry at Osborne Division of Lagos High Court also rejected the old note and turned him back from filling his process.

He affirmed that the problem is not the judiciary official but that of the CBN governor who is visiting anarchy in the nation by jettisoning the Supreme Court order.

“Non -acceptance of old notes would be a catastrophe to the nation. The highest court in the land, the Supreme Court order is being flouted with impunity. It is obvious that the CBN, especially the governor, Godwin Emefiele, is ready to impose a state of anarchy on Nigeria by directing banks against the order of the apex court.”