Thank you very much Abdulfatah. As it is said that nobody is above the law, it is also said that an accused person should be assumed to be innocent until he or she is proved guilty. That is rule of law. Unfortunately, what we promote here even from the highest level of governance is might is right. Every patriotic Nigerian supports the fight against corruption, which has pervaded all strata of our society.
The judges whose homes were invaded recently could have been corrupt as alleged by those making the allegation but the way and manner their arrest was carried out suggests that the intention from the beginning was to cow the concerned judges and by extension, the judiciary. Any day the society looks away when such acts are committed by those who should show good example, we are diminished as a people. Arrest, try and jail anybody for that matter but let us stop making a show of people. The pattern that is emerging in people’s minds with all these developments, is that an arm of government is working very hard to dominate the other two. And when this happens, we will have full dictatorship on our hands given what has been happening between the executive and the legislature since the inception of this administration. Our democracy can only survive when those in authority play by the rules. That was how countries we rush to for healthcare and other needs were built. Thanks.
–Emma Okoukwu
Dear Mr. Oladeinde, you stated it the way some of us see it. Just as I stated somewhere else, judges occupy privilege and sacred positions. If there is any human that should never be contaminated by the virus called “corruption”, which by the way has been reduced to “bribing”, it’s a judge. A ‘corrupt’ judge is more deadly and dangerous than an AK-47- wielding Boko Haram member.
God warns against accepting bribe because it blinds the eyes of those who see and makes even a righteous person twist the truth. Judges are supposed to be seeing and at all times, upholding truth. Can this be said to be the case with all of our “lords”, the judges? Are some of our judges not as blind as a bat?
I do not encourage the manner the DSS went about uncovering these judges, but how else would we have known about the uncommon wealth of these judges and justices. And it will be unfair to lay all the blames at the doorsteps of our judges, we, as a people, also have our own share of the blame. We celebrate some of their bizarre judgments and praise them to high heavens when we know justice was miscarried. As a matter of fact, we are responsible for the ‘corrupt’ behavior of some of these judges. This is why our land is plagued by all manner of vices. We thrive in falsehood and injustice. And God is not happy with us! Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.
Our politicians lie to us and we lie to them. We – both the rulers and the ruled – know we are telling lies. We feel good about it and rejoice over it. In case we have forgotten, this is our former national anthem: Oh God of creation direct our noble cause guide our leaders right help our youth the truth to know in love and honesty to grow and living just and true great lofty heights attain to build a nation where peace and justice shall reign. Are we anywhere near building a nation where peace and justice reign? It’s a question every Nigerian should sleep over.
–Kingsley Kaduru, blogger and writer, www.kingsleykaduru.com, [email protected]
What DSS did to some judges is welcome action. It will be lesson to other judges that collecting bribe to deliver judgment is wrong. Enough is enough with our judges. Our judiciary is no longer the last hope of the common man because of corruption in the system. We must support PMB to fight corruption in every sector to move the nation forward.
–Mrs. Ijeoma N, Lagos State.
Corruption virus finally runs round to encircle the final hope of the common man (even though all along we have been crying of the high cost of justice). I am not surprised though of the shocking finds in the homes of some suspected corrupt judges. The caveat here, however, is that we must be circumspect of what security agents say they found on those they targeted as there had been instances of their planting the items. Let’s watch as events unfold. The bottom line is let us kill corruption before it kills Nigeria, QED!
–Tony Enyinta, Isuikwuato, Abia State.
Thank you, Abdulfatah for your article on Page 52 of Sunday Sun of 16-10-16. We hail you, but will politicians who pay to obtain judgments in election tribunals, the NJC whose members are mainly judges, the NBA whose almighty SANs are fingered as link to judges allow justice to prevail on this matter? Will they not sweep this matter under the carpet? We pray for your type to keep writing so that the needful be done at last. God bless you.
–080374466**
We don’t know the judge of Supreme Court handling Nospetco Oil and Gas case called wonder bank since 2008. Many investors have died. I have N1,854,250. Please help us sir.
–070350371**
Your article made a good Sunday reading. For me and many others, raiding judges may not be a big deal but the method was barbaric, primitive, undemocratic, rude etc. What was done tells the world Nigeria is still dwelling in the caves and the motive? Vindictiveness from the govt. For some people, for a section and for all that dance all govt. music. If govt. will be fair, let them investigate all judges who had presided over election tribunals, let them investigate the accounts and assets of Customs officers from A-Z. Some mighty ones among them are richer than some states. –Akoma J. U.
Abdulfatah, judges could not have been exempted from justice; otherwise they would have become angels. If the devil, who was an angel could defy God and be banned from heaven, how worse a human like a judge would have been? The issue in case of the arrested judges was the way it was done, how and why that way. Is DSS empowered by the constitution to arrest suspects? If not, which arm of government is so authorised? The answer is only the police is so constitutionally empowered. That makes DSS action illegal and usurping police role is corrupt and condemnable. Furthermore, are there laid down processes of carrying out such a task? If none, it must be done under a warrant of arrest. There was no report confirming that DSS had such a document when it carried out the illegal exercise. All these make the whole exercise suspect. Fortunately, many NBA members who dissented stated clearly in their submissions that their grouse was not the arrest per se but how it was done; worsened by the fact that constitutionally the judiciary, as an independent arm of government, has NJC established to deal with judges suspected of corrupt practices. It was even reported that recently some culpable judges were recommended to be sacked and even charged to court for due justice. If such a decent and humane process is in place, why should DSS be used by whoever to carry out such a dastardly act and in the wee hours of the day? We are guided by the constitution, which President Buhari swore to uphold and defend. So, let him do that before things go out of hand. The world is watching. So, these said, the arrested judges should be investigated and if culpable dealt with according to law. Already, one of the judges was reported as claiming that his arrest was a vengeful reprisal for his part in a case involving a top office holder and that what he signed with DSS, during his arrest, was done under duress. According to the report, he was told he would be shot if he refused to obey the order at gun point. All these should be duly investigated and treated as prescribed by the law. Nigeria should move along with 21st Century judicial practices. May God save Nigeria, Amen. –Lai Ashadele.
I believe what DSS did to the judges is welcome because judges chewed more than could swallow by collecting bribes to deliver judgments. Some of our judges give justice to the highest bidder. Judiciary is no longer the last hope of the common man because of corruption. We must support PMB to fight corruption to a standstill for Nigeria to move forward.
–Gordon Chika Nnorom, Umukabia.
Thank you sir for your piece “it’s judges’s turn to be judged.”
My dear brother you said it all in your write up. One thing killing our country is that people don’t say the truth any more. There are those supporting the corrupt judges even when there is so much evidence to nail all of them. My take on this is that those judges should face the law. Q.E.D.
–DSP Zeph. C. Ariwodo retd.
Sir, your position in the Sunday Sun is beneficial to us. I have no apology by saying that even the Presidency is corrupt. Now the first lady is telling the world how a cabal pilots the husband to the detriment of the common Nigerian, but she was told to go to the kitchen, is that not corruption? Justice Ademola has made his own allegations against the AGF and the Presidency, if it is so, why? Fighting corruption was your promise.
–Longinus O. Ihedinihu
Nobody is above the law. He who goes to equity must go with clean hands. We are in a democracy and if you found judges wanting, follow due process and not by invading someone’s house like a criminal in the name of arrest. There is a difference between military rule and democracy. People should know that. Take note, gentleman. –Hon Mac.
Abdulfatah, you have let the bees free to sting the conscience and the conscienceless. See the qualitative reactions at page 52 of Sept 25 2016. Request Bafarawa to publish his previous pieces of advice to President Buhari. We are interested. –Hon. Dashe, M.L., Jos.