It mandated the joint committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters and Finance to probe the claims that judges in the Federal Judiciary have not been paid their salaries in the last four months.
The mandate followed the adoption of a motion of urgent national importance sponsored through a point of order by the deputy Senate Leader, Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah, at plenary.
Na’Allah, who described the alleged non-payment of judges as “worrisome and disturbing,” said it is the responsibility of the Senate to wade into the matter with a view to finding out the true position.
The lawmaker representing Kebbi South said the upper legislative chamber should not turn blind eye to the issue in the interest of the judiciary and the country.
While calling for quick action to save the situation, he said the Senate committees on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters and Finance should be asked to look into the matter without further delay.
The deputy Senate Leader maintained that everything should be done to ensure prompt payment of the salaries and allowances of judges.
The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the session, said Na’Allah approached him with the information, adding that if the information is true, efforts should be made to pay the judges by government.
He then directed a joint Senate Committees of Judiciary and Finance to carry out investigation into the claims and report back to the chamber within one week.
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