Federal High Court’s July 23 Vacation to Feature New E-Affidavit Implementation

The Federal High Court will commence its annual vacation on July 23. During this period, only six judges will be available to handle “matters of extreme urgency” at the Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt divisions, according to a statement released to the press.

Chief Judge Justice John Tsoho confirmed the vacation date, in accordance with Order 46, Rule 4 (d) of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2019. The break is scheduled to end on September 13, with full court sessions resuming on September 16.

“This break allows the judges to enjoy their well-deserved rest and prepare for the new legal year,” the statement read. “The public can approach the designated courts in Abuja, Lagos, and Port Harcourt for urgent matters during this period.” The vacation judges are as follows:

• Abuja: Hon. Justice Emeka Nwite, Hon. Justice Peter O. Lifu
• Lagos: Hon. Justice Akintayo Aluko, Hon. Justice Isaac D. Dipeolu
• Port Harcourt: Hon. Justice A. T. Mohammed, Hon. Justice P. M. Ayua

Chief Judge Justice John Terhemba Tsoho extended his best wishes for a pleasant vacation to his colleagues.

In a separate announcement, the court introduced new practice directions for the use of Electronic Affidavits (E-Affidavits). The aim is to ensure efficient, transparent, and prompt issuance of E-Affidavits, aligning with global best practices.

The practice directions are designed to protect litigants’ interests and regulate the standard of E-Affidavit issuance upon payment of prescribed fees. Key points on E-Affidavit implementation include:

• E-Affidavits will originate from the court’s designated E-filing Unit.
• Applications for E-Affidavits will be made online via the court’s official website.
• The E-Affidavit software will be managed by the E-filing Unit under the Deputy Chief Registrar (Litigation)’s supervision.
• Deponents will upload their applications electronically through a platform approved by the Chief Judge.
• A task force will be established to oversee this innovation.
• Costs for E-Affidavits will be determined and reviewed by the Chief Judge as necessary.

The court emphasized that E-Affidavits will not replace manually sworn affidavits. The goal is to ensure data protection within a user-friendly automated system for deposing E-Affidavits.