‘Security Raids on Judges’ Residence: Assault on Corruption, Not Judiciary’-Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari
*Says: “Nigeria’s State Security possessed Search & Warrant Order before Searches”
* “Buhari: Respect Rule of Law, Release the Alleged Corrupt Judges Unconditionally’-Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria
* ‘We Are Ready to Arrest 8 More Judges for Corruption’-Nigeria’s Secret Service Police
* ‘We Recovered N93 million and $530,000 Cash from Three of Judges’ Arrested’-DSS
BY KEMI OLAYIGA/STAFF WRITER, ABUJA & ARIYO ELEWUNMI/JUDICIAL REPORTER, LAGOS
LIKE the popular axiom: “When you fight corruption, certainly corruption fights back,” seems to have come into place in Africa’s most population nation presently, as opposition is gathering in Nigeria by some forces against the anti-graft styles being used by President Muhammadu Buhari in war against corruption in the judiciary. It is crystal clear that Nigeria’s president aim is to sanitise the judiciary, but some Nigerians are strongly opposed to the method adopted by Aso Rock in trumatising members of the Bench.
While Buhari strongly believes that the judicial sector stinks in corruption, he is of the belief that the latest raid carried out under the cover of darkness in homes of some judges by Nigeria’s Secret Service Police (DSS) was never an assault on judiciary, but assault on corruption.
President Muhammadu Buhari has made his first official reaction to the arrest of seven senior judges between Friday night and Saturday morning. Buhari said the raids on the judges’ residence by DSS, was an assault on corruption and not on the judiciary. Seven judges, including two of the Supreme Court, were arrested in the raids, condemned by lawyers and rights groups, and are expected to be charged to court from tomorrow.
The president in a statement by his media adviser, Garba Shehu, described the raids as ‘surgical’ saying due process was followed in the arrests. His words: “The Presidency has received assurances from the DSS that all due processes of the law, including the possession of search and arrest warrants were obtained before the searches.
“The Presidency assures that the President reserves his highest respect for the institution of the judiciary as the third arm of government. To this end, the President will not do anything to undermine its independence. President Buhari remains a committed democrat, in words and in his actions, and will not take any action in violation of the constitution.
“The recent surgical operation against some judicial officers is specifically targeted at corruption and not at the judiciary as an institution. In a robust democracy such as ours, there is bound to be a plurality of opinions on any given issue, but there is a convergence of views that the country has a corruption problem that needs to be corrected. But reports by a section of the media are giving us cause for concern.
“In undertaking the task of reporting, the media should be careful about the fault lines they open. It is wrong to present this incident as a confrontation between the executive and judicial arms of government.
“The Presidency has received assurances from the DSS that all due processes of the law, including the possession of search and arrest warrants were obtained before the searches. To suggest that the government is acting outside the law in a dictatorial manner is to breach the interest of the state.”
Judiciary Staff Union Faults Nigeria’s President Approach
The Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) has called for unconditional release of some Judges accused of corruption by the Department of Security Service (DSS). National President of JUSUN, Comrade Marwan Mustapha Adamu in a statement signed by the National Public Relations Officer, comrade Koin Selepreye, said though the union is in support of the anti corruption war of the present administration, the rule of law must be respected.
The union described the judges arrest of the judges as ‘uncivilsed’ and summoned an emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting to deliberate with a view to taking the next line of action.
‘Buhari Breached Rule of Law and Due Process in Judges’ Arrest’-Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria
JUSUN condemned what it termed ” gestapo style of the DSS on the matter”, stressing that the secret police should have forward the names of the corrupt officers to NJC which is the statutory body that can punish or dismiss any erring judicial officer.
The statement reads ” We received with disappointment the news of raid and subsequent arrest of some Judges in Nigeria who were accused of corruption in an inhuman manner. It is sad that as a Security Agency which primary duty includes intelligence gathering and the protection of Senior Government official would now perform their duties in a gestapo style.
“The National Office of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) rejects this unfortunate trend. To think that an Agency like the DSS where it is expected that the Rule of Law and due process will be strictly adhered to, would now under whatever guise not do the right thing.
“In as much as we do not support corruption, we frown at the manner in which the DSS is going about its duty as it is very vindictive and unacceptable to us. We therefore urge the DSS and all Security Agencies to respect the Rule of Law for democracy to strive stronger in Nigeria”.
‘We Are Set to Arrest 8 More Judges for Corruption’-Nigeria’s State Security Service
Meanwhile, eight more senior judges are under investigation and will soon be arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) as part of its latest attempt to cleanse the judiciary of corruption. It will be recalled that Seven judges were earlier arrested in different states across the country between Friday night and Saturday morning over alleged corrupt practices, later released on self-recognition while investigation continues. Sources in DSS told our correspondent that these seven senior judges would be arraigned in court any moment.
The judges to be arraigned in court are: Inyang Okoro and Sylvester Ngwuta of the Supreme Court, Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, Abuja, Kabir Auta of the Kano High Court, Mu’azu Pindiga of the Gombe High Court, Mohammed Tsamiya of the Court of Appeal, Ilorin and the Chief Judge of Enugu State Justice I. A. Umezulike.
The DSS said Saturday that it recovered over N93 million and $530,000 cash from three arrested judges. The source said the judges were allowed access to their families and were cooperating with the agency.
The security source said: “We still respect them. They are not being treated like common criminals. As part of the investigations, three registry staff from various courts were also invited for questioning. The corruption cases against the judges were disturbing and investigations were carried out with ‘facts and figures’. I can assure you that the current clampdown on the judicial officers was based on intelligence, and not on the perception of ordinary Nigerians.
“We received petitions against these judges on cases they are handling. The worst part of it is where they collected money. We knew the issue would be controversial even before we started,” he said, adding that the corruption in the judiciary was so enormous that some judges took money with both hands from litigants.
