Eight
more judges and two court registrars are now under investigation by the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over corruption-related
cases.
Those who have been implicated in the
investigations are to be arrested and charged to court in due course, an
official disclosed yesterday.
The commission, which denied any rift
with the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice,
Abubakar Malami, said that only one of the judges recently arrested by
the Department of State Services (DSS) featured in its investigations.
EFCC described as untrue a story in a
national daily which suggested that the AGF was uncomfortable with how
the commission handled petitions sent to it, as such, the resort to the
DSS.
“In this regard, EFCC is currently
investigating eight judges and two court registrars. Some of the
suspects who have been invited have made statements that have been of
great assistance to the investigations. In due course, those who have
cases to answer would be arrested and charged to court,” the commission
said.
The Head, Media and Publicity of EFCC,
Wilson Uwujaren, said: “EFCC wishes to put on record that there is no
friction with the office of the AGF and the Commission is not involved
in inter-agency squabbles with the DSS.”
And as the controversy over the arrest
of judges continues, a retired Justice of the Supreme Court, Samson
Uwaifo yesterday called for the strengthening of the National Judicial
Council (NJC) to redeem the image of the third arm of government.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Bar Association
(NBA) has affirmed its earlier position that the arrests and detention
of the judges was unlawful and unconstitutional.
The Bar cautioned that the judiciary
should not be exposed to ridicule, shame and intimidation by security
operatives under the guise of fighting corruption.
President of the Association, Abubakar
Mahmud (SAN), who spoke yesterday evening, insisted that the invasion of
the houses of justices and judges in the middle of the night by masked
security operatives was improper and uncivilised.
According to Mahmud, the NBA is engaging
stakeholders on how to win the war against corruption in the judiciary.
The reason, he said, a task force, which would be announced today was
set up to come up with details on how to deal with erring judges.
The task force is headed by former presidents of the association, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) and Olisa Agbakoba (SAN).
It also comprises former attorneys
general of the federation and other former presidents of NBA, including
Prince Adetokunbo Kayode, Joseph Daudu, Chief Kanu Agabi and Chief Akin
Olujimi.
The committee is expected to make
recommendations for stronger disciplinary action against erring judicial
officers, which will be passed on to the NJC for strengthening.
And after three days of silence, the
National Judicial Council (NJC) yesterday came out openly to condemn the
clampdown on some judicial officers.
In a statement issued late yesterday,
the body expressed grave concern about the invasion of the residences
and arrest of some serving and suspended judicial officers by the
Department of State Services (DSS) and condemned the action in its
entirety.
The Council also unanimously agreed to
recommend Justice W. S. N. Onnoghen, as the most senior, suitable and
competent Justice of the Supreme Court to President Muhammadu Buhari,
for appointment as the next Chief Justice of Nigeria to succeed Justice
Mahmud Mohammed GCON who retires from office on November 10.
NJC said it viewed the action “as a
threat to the independence of the judiciary, which portends great danger
to our democracy; and also considered the action as a clear attempt by
the DSS to humiliate, intimidate, denigrate and cow the judiciary”.
The judicial council said that contrary
to the claim by the DSS and as published in the electronic and print
media, “Council has never received any petition against the aforesaid
judicial officers: Hon. Justices Ngwuta and Okoro of the Supreme Court
of Nigeria, by the DSS.”
In the statement, the NJC states: “That
the National Judicial Council is a creation, by virtue of Section 153 of
the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended,
with its powers specified in Paragraph 21 of Part One of the Third
Schedule whereof;
“That by virtue of Section 160 of the
1999 Constitution, council fashioned out judicial discipline
regulations; revised NJC guidelines and procedural rules for the
appointment of judicial officers of all superior courts of record; code
of conduct for judicial officers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; and
national judicial policy to inter-alia, regulate its own procedure
while exercising its constitutional Powers; and
”That Section 158 (1) of the 1999
Constitution, as amended, has unequivocally provided for the
independence of the National Judicial Council vis-à-vis directing or
controlling it by any authority or person while exercising its powers.”
The council “reiterated its absolute
confidence in President Muhammadu Buhari administration and its
unwavering determination to uphold the principles of democracy,
separation of powers and the rule of law enshrined in the 1999
Constitution, as amended and the United Nations Charter, which Nigeria
is a member.”
NJC pledged to continue to support the
President Buhari administration in its fight against corruption in all
its ramifications in the federation; and in cleansing the judiciary of
corrupt judicial officers.
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