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.
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