The Chief Judge of Kogi, Hon. Justice Josiah Majebi,has sworn-in 17 new Notaries Public and charged them to uphold the dignity, integrity and public-trust of their new offices.
The CJ gave the charge during the swearing in ceremony of the judicial officers at the judiciary Headquarters in Lokoja on Friday.
The Newsroom Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the legal professionals were recently appointed by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Hon. Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, GCON in pursuant to the Notaries Public Act, 2023.
Majebi noted that the occasion marked a moment of pride for the state’s justice delivery system, the appointees’ families and the legal professional in general.
“The strategic role of notaries public within Nigeria’s legal framework is statutorily grounded, judicially recognised and closely linked to the administration of justice.
“Under the Notaries Public Act, notaries are empowered to perform public legal acts, including administering oaths, taking affidavits and declarations, authenticating signatures, notarising legal and corporate documents and certifying documents for use, both within and outside Nigeria.
“The Act designates every notary public as an officer of the Supreme Court of Nigeria with notarial acts carrying a presumption of regularity and enhanced evidential value in judicial proceedings, ” he said.
He urged them to regard their appointment as a judicial trust rather than commercial venture and encouraged them to discharge their duties in a manner that would preserve public confidence in the judicial system.
The CJ firmly drew their attention to the disciplinary provisions of the Act which he said, empowered the Supreme Court to sanction any notary public found to have certified false statements, authenticate forged documents or abused notarial authority.
While congratulating the appointees,
the CJ commended the CJN for their appointment and new designation, which he said, would go a long way in administration of justice in Kogi.
Earlier in his remarks, the state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Muizudeen Abdallahi, SAN, appreciated the CJN and the Chief Judge for their leadership roles in the judiciary.
Abdullahi said that the CJN must have been convinced that the appointees are men of proven integrity, stressing, “the process for this appointment is similar to that of appointing a senior advocate.
“I must confirm that this is the highest number of notaries public ever sworn-in in Kogi in one day.”
Speaking on behalf of the appointees, the Chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association, Lokoja Branch, Sumaila Adeku-Abbas, thanked the CJN, the CJ and the state attorney general for finding them worthy to serve the state in that capacity.
He pledged that they would discharge the functions of their new office without prejudice.
