Nigerian judiciary has been thrown into mourning following the death of Justice Abdullahi Mahmud Bayero, a Justice of the Court of Appeal serving in the Kaduna Judicial Division.
Justice Bayero reportedly died in Cairo, Egypt, after an illness, with members of his family confirming his death on Wednesday.
The late jurist was one of the senior Justices of the Court of Appeal in the Kaduna Division, where he participated in the determination of a wide range of civil, criminal and constitutional appeals.
Before his elevation to the appellate court, Justice Bayero served as a Judge of the Kano State High Court, where he built a judicial career that eventually took him to Nigeria’s second-highest court.
He was elevated to the Court of Appeal in 2018 and took the oath of office as a Justice of the Court on June 22 of that year.
At the Court of Appeal, Bayero sat on several panels dealing with criminal justice, constitutional rights, commercial disputes and other civil matters arising largely from states within the jurisdiction of the Kaduna Division.
Among the decisions in which he participated was a case in which the Kaduna Division reaffirmed that the statutory authority to transfer a criminal case from the High Court to a Magistrate Court rests with the Chief Judge of Kaduna State rather than an individual trial judge.
The decision underscored the principle that judicial powers must be exercised within the limits prescribed by law.
Justice Bayero also delivered judgments involving the enforcement of fundamental rights, including appeals arising from allegations of unlawful arrest and detention.
His judicial work further extended to serious criminal appeals, including cases involving capital offences, as well as commercial and other civil disputes.
Although he occupied a prominent position within the judiciary, Bayero was described as a reserved judicial officer who largely kept away from public attention and concentrated on his responsibilities on the Bench.
In an obituary following his death, members of his family described him as a man of integrity, fairness and quiet generosity who regarded the administration of justice not merely as a profession but as a public trust.
The family said his death represented the loss of a jurist they believed still had many years of distinguished judicial service ahead of him.
News of his passing has attracted condolences and prayers from members of the legal community and other well-wishers, who prayed for Allah to forgive his shortcomings, accept his good deeds and grant him the highest rank in Jannatul Firdaus.
Prayers have also been offered for his family and loved ones to receive strength and comfort to bear the loss.
Justice Bayero’s death comes at a time when the Court of Appeal continues to carry a significant caseload across its divisions, handling major constitutional, criminal, civil and electoral disputes.
His passing leaves behind a judicial career that stretched from the Kano State High Court to the Court of Appeal and a body of judgments reflecting his contribution to the development and administration of Nigerian law.
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