The Federal High Court of Nigeria will begin this year’s Christmas vacation on December 21, with regular court sittings scheduled to resume on January 6, 2027.
The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Terhemba Tsoho, approved the vacation arrangement and designated judges to handle urgent matters during the holiday period.
According to a press release issued on Monday, November 9, 2026, and signed by the Director of Information of the court, Dr. Catherine Oby Christopher, the vacation will end on January 5, 2027.
The arrangement according to the statement is pursuant to Order 46, Rule 4(c) of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2019.
The court said only designated judicial divisions would remain operational during the vacation to provide essential judicial services to litigants.
It explained that vacation judges would entertain only matters relating to the enforcement of fundamental human rights, arrest or release of vessels and other issues of urgent national importance, and any urgent matters include the trial of pre-election cases.
For the Abuja Judicial Division, Justices I. E. Ekwo and O. A. Egwuatu have been designated to sit during the vacation.
In Lagos, the designated judges are Justices Akintayo Aluko and Ogazi F. Nkemakonam.
The Port Harcourt Judicial Division will be served by Justices P. M. Ayua and A. T. Mohammed, while Justices F. O. G. Ogunbanjo and M. T. Segun-Bello will handle vacation matters in Enugu.
The Chief Judge, in the statement, wished judges and members of the court a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year ahead.
Regular judicial activities across the Federal High Court in the country are expected to resume on Wednesday, January 6, 2027, following the conclusion of the Christmas vacation.