By ANGELA ATABO

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, has said that no judge of the FCT will live in a rented apartment by the end of President Bola Tinubu?s first tenure.

Wike made this known in Abuja on Monday, at the inauguration of the construction of housing units for the President, Court of Appeal, Chief Judges of the Federal High Court, FCT High Court, and President of Industrial Court.

The minister said that the gesture was part of Tinubu?s commitment to improving the welfare and enhancing the performance of judicial officers in the country.

He said he had told Tinubu that his government must show a difference in its approach to the welfare of judicial officers saying, ?we can?t afford to continue to see judges living in rented houses.

?Sometimes you don?t know the landlords of these houses; sometimes you don?t know their neighbours.

?These judges preside over criminal matters or other serious matters indeed and of course, you never can tell what will happen.

?Our judges, our judicial officers, you deserve the best, and I thank God that Mr President has made it a policy to see that during his tenure, the narrative is changed and we?re happy?.

He assured the heads of the courts that the housing would be completed in 12 months, adding that the Certificate of Ownership of the houses were issued in the names because they would become their property upon retirement.

He added that the ongoing construction of 40 houses ? 10 for Judges of the Court of Appeal, 10 for Federal High Court Judges and 20 for Judges of the FCT High Court would be completed by the end of the year.

Wike also assured the President of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), Justice Benedict Kanyip, that the gesture would be extended to the judges of the industrial court.

On her part, the FCT Minister of State, Dr Mariya Mahmoud, described the project as a collective commitment to strengthening the pillars of justice and governance in the nation?s capital.

?This project is about honour, dignity, and institutional pride, providing befitting residences for our esteemed heads of courts whose wisdom and integrity uphold the rule of law in the country,? Mahmoud said.

Earlier, Kanyip thanked Tinubu for approving the project, in line with his administration?s emphasis on improving judicial welfare and independence.

According to him, providing safe, comfortable, and secure residences is crucial for the judiciary to function effectively without fear or external influence.

?Like other public servants, judicial officers perform better when their personal security and mental well-being are assured.

?This housing initiative expectedly will address these concerns, and enable the occupants to fully dedicate themselves to their judicial responsibilities.?

Kanyip emphasised that judicial housing was part of the emoluments of judicial officers and enshrined in the 1999 Constitution.

He commended Wike for the gesture, which described as a ?practical demonstration of support for the judiciary?, that reinforces public trust in the justice system.

Also speaking, the Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory, Justice Husseni Yusuf, acknowledged Tinubu and Wike?s leadership that situates justice at the heart of national development.

Yusuf commended Wike for his unprecedented infrastructural development and bold interventions that have continued to advance justice sector reform.

?The prioritisation of purpose-built residences for heads of courts underscores a deep appreciation for the conditions under which justice is conceived, deliberated, and delivered.

?The initiative is therefore not merely architectural; it is a strategic affirmation of the welfare, security, and independence of judicial officers, elements essential to a credible and efficient judiciary,? he said. (NAN)

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