IT was a sad, sad, sad day in Nigeria last Friday as the Department of State Services (DSS) launched a dastardly midnight raid on the residences of some Supreme Court Justices and railroaded them into temporary detention, from which they have now been released on bail, in self-recognition.
I use the term “sad”, three times deliberately because the incident is sad in three different ways.
First, the manner in which the government allowed itself to be misguided by the DSS into using the Gestapo tactic of midnight raids on Justices of the nation’s Supreme Court and other highly placed judges is truly saddening. By the crude tactic adopted by the security agency, the government only succeeded in turning the judges who may well be deserving of interrogation and prosecution into heroes.
The midnight raids and arrests are deserving of the condemnation of all well meaning Nigerians. It is a misadventure for the Muhammadu Buhari administration and will continue to earn it condemnation from home and abroad.
If, indeed, the judges are considered guilty of such grievous offences of collecting huge sums in local and foreign currencies to pervert the cause of justice, and such sums had been recovered from them, a moving statement by the government on the facts of their malfeasance and their open invitation to wherever they were wanted would have sufficiently put the judges on the spot, and sufficed, pending their prosecution. The Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Mahmood Mohammed, and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) have rightly condemned the incident and described it as sad and unfortunate. The military-style attack on the judges is unacceptable in a democracy. It is an affront to the rule of law and all civilized norms. It is also against the provisions of the Nigerian constitution. The action is also wrong because it is not the primary work of the DSS to fight corruption or prosecute corruption cases. The agency’s major responsibility is the protection of the internal security of the country, and not the arrest of citizens for corruption.
The second reason I find this incident saddening is the myriad of accusations levied against the judges. Even as unshockable as many Nigerians have become, it is embarrassing to read these allegations against such highly placed judges. Reports that a judge collected N7 billion from a governor who has a case in court and also owns a property valued at N1.5 billion, while others had huge sums running into millions of dollars and other currencies are, indeed, embarrassing. For so long, the reports of the corruption among the supposedly honourable members of the Nigerian judiciary have become a source of concern to many Nigerians.
The late eminent jurist, Justice Kayode Esho and a few upright judges and Chief Justices (CJNs) of the Federation had, at one time or the other, spoken out against corruption among the administrators and adjudicators in our temples of justice. Huge sums amounting to N93 million, $530, 087; 25,000 pounds were reported to have been recovered from some of the judges, while a particular judge was said to have two million dollars in his house.
If these reports read like fiction, Nigerians should note that the National Judicial Council (NJC), which has the CJN as its chairman, had only last week recommended some judges for either dismissal or compulsory retirement following the confirmation that they had been demanding bribes and collecting gifts running into millions of dollars from people who have vested interest in cases before their courts. One was also found to be inexplicably involved in the giving of conflicting judgments that had no basis in law.
All these reports on the desecration of justice by those who should be its chief protectors are very very sad, indeed. One of the justices was found to have met with a petitioner in a case in his court thrice in his private residence, to demand a N200 million bribe, while another collected a ten million naira donation from a politician who had interest in a case before his court during his book launch. Not too long ago, the NJC had recommended another set of judges to their state governors for dismissal. What these show is that bribery is rife in the judiciary, and ought to be dealt with, but, not with the unconscionable tactic adopted by the DSS last Friday.
The third sad aspect of this onslaught on the judicial officers is the sympathy that the manner of their arrest has attracted. The very important question of the innocence or guilt of the arrested justices is not being asked because of the unconstitutional handling of their arrest by the DSS.
Nigerians must strongly condemn and put the DSS to task for the way it is going about its arrest of members of the judiciary, when such arrests do not even fall within its statutory responsibilities. But then, we must ask if the judges are truly guilty of the offences for which they were picked up, and ask that the matter be thoroughly investigated and handled in accordance with the rule of law, but with every regard for their esteemed offices.
We cannot afford to have a judiciary wearingthe robe of corruption. We cannot afford to have the impression that our judges and their judgements are for sale to the highest bidders. Let the government substantiate its allegations against the judges and bring them to justice if they are truly guilty. The bandying of allegations against the judges, as we have had it with some other people in recent times, is not acceptable. Let the facts of the allegations against them be made clear to all in a proper judicial process. The days of unsubstantiated allegations and arrests of persons that end nowhere should stop. They have not done, and cannot do, the government and Nigeria’s fight against corruption any good.
MAILBOX
Welcome back. Missed your proactive column on national issues. A reading of your last column, Assets Sale and the Battle Against Recession, with its antidote to the current recession, is of great worth. What prompted the idea of national assets sale beats my imagination. Despite the public dissent, the Senate seems to be caving in and thinking of a concession, which in itself could be a smart and fraudulent alternative. It is clear that the beneficiaries of the concession choice are the same as the earmarked prospective buyers of the assets. These prodigal leaders are taking Nigerianas for fools. But God will rain his anger upon them if they do not stop frustrating patient Nigerians. Just keep doing your beat. More grease Lai ashadele,
O7067677806
“Restore the faith of disgruntled Eastern Nigerians in the Nigerian Project.” Well said. But, how do we get more of our fellow Nigerians from the Western part of Nigeria to say it loud and clear to the North. 08161512973
I wish the government and our economic managers will give your thoughts a trial. Thanks a lot. I am proud of people like you.
Hon.Chief Okey Agu
08033646251
Your Assets Sale and the Battle Against recession is a masterpiece. To your conclusion, I say Q.E.D. It’s heartwarming to note that NLNG played some role in assisting the government to bail out the states. Those “good” Nigerians canvassing the sale of the assets are invariably trying to kill the hen that lays the golden egg. God help Nigeria
Ben Chuks,
08181166707