The Chief Executive Officer of the House of Justice, Gloria Mabeiam Ballason Esq, has condemned the abduction of a Customary Court Judge, Janet Galadima-Gimba, and her four children and the grisly murder of her 14-year-old son by the terrorists.
His Worship Janet Galadima-Gimba was, on the night of Sunday, 23 June 2024, abducted along with her four sons at their residence in Mahuta, Kaduna State, North-West Nigeria, while her medical doctor husband was away on duty.
The abductors, reported to have been about fifteen, took their captives hostage and demanded a huge sum as ransom.
On Tuesday, 2 July, 2024, the terrorists shot dead Victor Gimba, the first child of the Judge, when the ransom demanded could not be obtained.
Ballason condemned the abduction and murder in the strongest possible terms, stating that judicial officers under Article 7 of the United Nations Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary deserve protection and adequate security to enable them to carry out their judicial functions and that the Nigerian State has a Constitutional mandate under Section 33 and 14 (2)b of the 1999 Constitution to guarantee and ensure the safety of the Judge, her family and all citizens.
Ballason described the murder of Victor as ‘grisly and blood-curdling’, stating that no parent deserves the horror of watching their child being killed in such a cold, callous manner.
She called on the Nigerian security agencies, the Governor of Kaduna state, the Nigerian Barr Association, and the Judiciary to rise to the urgency of the moment and ensure the protection of lives, safe return of the Judge and her children, and justice is served.
