The decision of the National Judicial Commission, NJC, to recall the six judges arrested by the Department of State Security, DSS over allegation of corruption from suspension has been described s a ”huge disappointment” by the special assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on prosecution, Mr. Okoi Obono Obla.
It will be recalled that the NJC last Saturday recalled Justices, John Okoro of the supreme court; Uwani Aji, court of appeal; Hydiazira Nganjiwa, federal high court; Musa Kurya, federal high court, Adeniyi Ademola, federal high court and Agbadu James Fishim, National Industrial Court of Nigeria from suspension.
Obla spoke Monday morning on Channels Television programme, Sunrise.
According to him, the NJC’s decision seems to portray the body as trying to protect some people.
He said, “The impression is that they are trying to protect some people because there are petitions against these judges, half are criminal allegations against them, why has the NJC not looked into these petitions.”
“They just have to suspend them, they are going to be charged to court I can assure that.
“I don’t want to be speculative but I’m assuring that these judges will be charged to court and I am also calling on NJC to hear petitions against these judges, apart from the criminal proceedings we have filed against them, they should go ahead hear the petitions against these judges, otherwise Nigerians will want to think that they want to protect some people.
“The judges I have mentioned them, their names have been released there is an appeal against all of them, as I have said it is a huge disappointment because the fight against corruption is not the fight of President Muhammadu Buhari, it’s not for the executive branch of government… the judiciary, the legislature and the executive should work together, should partner, if we do not clean up our judiciary, foreign investors will not come into the country.”
“Nigerians will not have confidence in the judiciary, we are going to have a situation where Nigerians will take to self-help. They will not go to court again, they will prefer to settle scores and it will be dangerous,” he said.
