Federal high court Nigeria has released an official statement putting a stop to media coverage of any kind as regards cases of terrorism in the country.
Dr Catherine Christopher The court’s Chief Information Officer, said in a statement that cases bothering on terrorism [ court hearing and follow ups] will be conducted with secrecy except the Chief Judge of the court, Justice John Tsoho, grants official permission for media coverage.
The Chief Information Officer also stated that Terrorism proceedings will also hold at any place to be designated by the chief judge and in the case of the Abuja Judicial Division, the venue, for the time being, would be the premises of the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
See Official Memo below ;
The court warned that anyone who flouts an order or direction made under the practice directions would be perceived to have committed an offence contrary to Section 34(5) of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act, 2011 (as amended).
Perimeters of the court sitting over a terrorism trial would be maximumly secured for the period of any trial for the safety of litigants and court officials, while the specific distance and size of perimeters to be secured for any trial would be determined based on the recommendation of security agencies on a case-by-case basis.
Nobody would be allowed within the secured perimeters, except the approved court officials, parties, and a number of pre-registered legal practitioners on either side, witnesses, and any other person as may be directed by the judge or the most senior judge in the given circumstances.