Former CJN, Aloysius Katsina –Alu Passes on …APC, Ortom mourn late CJN

 

Former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu, is dead. According to a family source yesterday, he died at about 2a.m. Wednesday at Cida Orthopaedic Hospital, Gudu, Abuja.

Katsina-Alu, who would have been 77 by August, was CJN between 2009 and 2011, and hailed from Benue State.

The family source further disclosed that the former CJN has been battling serious health complication conditions that affected his internal organs for several years.

He said plans were on top gear to fly him abroad for treatment when he gave up.

His demise has thrown his community in Tse Alu,Ushongo Local Government Area of Benue State into mourning.

Some of the mourner expressed their sadness over his death.

Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) deeply mourns the death of the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, describing him as a great statesman.

The party commiserated with his immediate family, the people and government of Benue State, and indeed all Nigerians, over “the sad and irreparable loss of this great statesman, legal luminary and patriot.

"We recall that Katsina-Alu who served as Chief Justice of Nigeria from December 30, 2009, to August 28, 2011, was an impartial and thorough judge. As a jurist, his contributions to the development of the Nigerian legal system cannot be quantified. He delivered numerous landmark judgements, wrote many legal papers and mentored several young lawyers.

"As a statesman, the late Katsina-Alu often put national interest above self and other considerations. We have indeed lost a good man who was non-partisan, honest and frank," APC stated.

Also, the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has said the death of Katsina-Alu has thrown the state into sadness and mourning.

Ortom described the late Justice as a peace-loving man, patriot and father who built bridges for many others to cross.

He said is demise is a huge blow to Benue State in particular and a loss to the entire country.

Late Justice Katsina-Alu was described by the governor as selfless Nigerian who upheld the truth, equity and fairness in service to the country

He therefore prayed for the soul of the eminent jurist, as he commiserated with the bereaved family and prayed God to grant them the strength to bear the irreparable loss.

In his tribute, Justice Katsina-Alu has been described as the only CJN in Nigerian history who would not show up for his valedictory service. Several times he was contacted that a day had been fixed for the solemn ceremony usually held for retiring justice of the Supreme Court but he told the authorities he was not interested.

Controversies aside, Justice Katsina-Aku was a bold but humane judge who truly believed in the saying ‘let justice be done even if heavens falls’.

He was also a brilliant judge whose erudite judgments contributed to enriching the nation’s jurisprudence.