Lawyer threatens to petition CJN over court letters

A criminal defense lawyer in Warri, Delta State has threatened to file a petition with the Chief Justice of Nigeria over alleged mishandling of correspondence concerning his client's case. Andrew Elekeokwuri, the lawyer, notified the Federal High Court's Chief Registrar in Abuja that he would escalate the matter if the court's administration failed to explain the delay and improper treatment of letters addressed to the Chief Judge.

The letters, sent to the Chief Judge's Chambers, sought intervention and a transfer of the case from the Warri Judicial Division to another division of the Federal High Court. Elekeokwuri claims that the first request was acknowledged on February 17, 2026, but subsequent letters seeking updates on the request and explanations for repeated "AWAITING CJ RESPONSE" stamps on the cause list were allegedly returned without being processed and returned to his office.

He has requested the Chief Registrar to investigate the handling of the letters, including who processed them, when they were received, and whether they reached the Chief Judge. Elekeokwuri warned that if the court administration did not provide a satisfactory explanation or revealed issues requiring further investigation, he would petition the Chief Justice of Nigeria.