Nasarawa State High Court before October 1996, formed part of what was Plateau State High Court. With the creation of Nasarawa State on the 1st October 1996, the State High Court was established. The first Chief Judge of the State was Honourable Justice Suleiman Galadima (now a Justice of Court of Appeal). The present Chief Judge is Honourable A. Y. Ubangari.

The State High Court hears and determines appeals from decisions of Magistrates and Area Courts in all criminal matters. It also hears and determines appeals from District Courts in all civil causes. In addition, appeals from Area Courts in all civil causes other than customary or Islamic causes, lie to the High Court.

A Panel of two or three judges of the High Court is constituted for the purpose of determining appeals from the lower courts aforementioned. The High Court of the State has a single Judicial Division, with four High Courts at Lafia, the State capital. For the purpose of convenience to litigants, a High Court, presided over by a resident High Court Judge, is sited at Keffi.

Profile of Hon Justice Ahmed Y. Ubangari,
The Chief Judge of Nasarawa State:

Hon Justice Ahmed Y. Ubangari was born on 31st December, 1945, at Nasarawa Eggon, Nasarawa State.

He attended the Senior Primary School, Wamba from 1959-1961. Thereafter, he gained admission to Teachers' College, Toro in 1962; and completed in 1966, obtaining a Grade II Certificate. Hon Justice Ahmed Ubangari gained admission to the famous Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria in 1971 where he successfully completed a Diploma programme in Law in 1973. In 1975, he was back at ABU Zaria for a Degree programme in Law. He completed it in 1978.

Chief Judge of Nasarawa State, Hon. Justice Ahmed Ubangari Phone +234 (47) 20058

Hon Justice Ahmed Ubangari gained admission to the Nigerian Law School, Lagos, in 1979 and was called to the Nigerian Bar in the same year. The search for knowledge took Hon Justice Ahmed Ubangari to the University of Lagos in 1990 where he obtained a Certificate in Advanced Legal Studies.

Hon Justice Ahmed Ubangari joined the defunct Benue-Plateau State Judiciary in 1973 as a Registrar of Courts, Katsina Ala. He was later appointed Registrar, Sharia Court of Appeal, Benue/Plateau and North East States between 1974 and 1975. He became Senior Registrar, High Court Jos in 1978, a post he held up to 1979.

Hon Justice Ahmed Ubangari was appointed a Magistrate in 1980 and held the following Magisterial appointments

        (1)    Magistrate Grade II        1980

        (2)    Senior Magistrate II        1981 -1983

        (3)    Chief Magistrate II          1983 - 1985

        (4)    Chief Magistrate I            1986 - 1987

He became the Deputy Chief Registrar, High Court, Jos on 1st October, 1993; and on the creation of Nasarawa State out of Plateau State, he was re-appointed a Judge of the High Court of Nasarawa State in March 1997.

He was appointed Chief Judge of Nasarawa State on 24th May, 1999. He is married with children.

Profile of Other Judges of the High Court of Justice
Lafia, Nasarawa State:

Hon Justice Badamasi Maina

He was born in 1947. He was called to Bar in 1981. In October 1993, he was appointed Chief Registrar, High Court, Jos, Plateau State. He was later appointed a judge of the High Court, Jos in December 1994. On the creation of Nasarawa State, he was re-appointed a Judge of High Court, Lafia, Nasarawa State in March 1997. He sits in High Court No. 2, Lafia

Hon Justice Isa Ramalan

He was born in December 1946. He was enrolled as Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria on the 18th July, 1980. Employed in the then Plateau State Judiciary, he rose to the rank of the Chief Registrar, Sharia Court of Appeal of the then Benue and Plateau States, on the 1st November, 1994. He was appointed a Judge of High Court, Lafia, Nasarawa State on the 16th April, 1998. He sits in High Court No. 3, Lafia.

Hon Justice Haruna Loko

He was born on 25th March 1958. He was called to the Nigerian Bar in November 1985 and was appointed a Judge of High Court, Lafia, Nasarawa on the 16th April, 1988. Until his appointment, he was a Zonal Chief Magistrate in the Nasarawa State Judiciary. He is at present the resident High Court Judge, High Court of Justice, Keffi.

Hon Justice Suleiman Dikko

He was born on the 31st December 1955. Called to the Nigerian Bar in October 1986, he was appointed a Judge of the High Court, Lafia, Nasarawa State on the 16th April 1998. Until his appointment, he was in private practice. He presides over High Court No. 4, Lafia.