Follow Us on Google
From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, has warned that Nigeria’s judiciary has had enough of the embarrassment of its officers and would not take kindly to a repeat of any ugly treatment from security operatives.
He gave the warning at an event to mark the 2021 to 2022 legal year held at the Supreme Court, yesterday.
“The silence of the judiciary should never be mistaken for stupidity or weakness. On a very sad note, I must say we were jolted with the embarrassing news of the invasion of the official residence of one of our brother Justices, Mary Odili on October 29 by men suspected to be security operatives, acting on a search warrant.
“The said warrant was purportedly obtained from an Abuja Magistrate court under questionable circumstances.
“I must make it known to all and sundry that we have had enough dosage of such embarrassment and harassment of our judicial officers across the country, and we can no longer take any of such shenanigans.”
He said that by the nature of their work, they are conservative but not conquered species and should not be pushed further than this by any individual, institution or agency of the government.
“With time, those taking the judiciary as a mere weakling will soon realise that it is from the calmest seas we often experience the fiercest storms. The time to oppress, suppress and intimidate judicial officers is gone.
“No one, irrespective of his or her status or position in the country, should test our will because the consequences of such unwarranted provocation will be too dire to bear.”
He stressed that the judiciary would begin to resist any clandestine attempt to silence or ridicule them to oblivion.
“Nigeria, to the best of my knowledge, is not a lawless society and we should begin to do things that will project us favourably and rightly too, to the international community.
“No law permits anyone to invade and subdue any Nigerian citizen of his or her residence with a flimsy, fraudulently obtained search warrant.
“We are making efforts now to ensure that henceforth, every search or arrest warrant must be issued with the knowledge and approval of the chief judge of the respective state or federal high court as the case may be.”
The CJN disclosed that 746 corruption cases where dispensed with by the court during the year under review, with the help of the Corruption and Financial Crime Cases Trial Monitoring Committee (COTRIMOC) headed by a retired justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Suleiman Galadinma.
He further disclosed that the number of forfeited non-cash recoveries made include 51 automobiles, 16 real estates, 11 Barge/Tug boats and two schools.
He also revealed that between January 2 and October 14, 2021, 1,143 suspects were convicted of various corruption and financial related crimes, while the number of non-cash forfeited assets has also risen to include eight aircrafts; seven filling stations, 48 real estates and 149 vehicles, amongst others.
Still within the period under review, the CJN said various amounts of cash forfeiture were made in millions of naira but recovered in different currencies ranging from Naira, US dollars, British Pound Sterling, Euro, Indian Rupees, to Riyals CFA, Japanese Yen among others.
Justice Muhammad also disclosed that during the 2020/2021 legal year, the Supreme Court entertained 681 cases comprising motions and appeals, representing 312 civil, 95 criminal and five political.
Similarly, he said the court considered 269 appeals, comprising of 139 civil, 102 criminal and 28 political while 216 judgments were delivered by the court in the year.
He called on the Executive, Legislature and the Judiciary to work assiduously to better the lot of the citizenry.
The CJN, who admonished the new Senior Advocates of Nigeria to be of good moral conduct, noted that the rank comes with immense prestige and greater responsibilities as well.
Speaking in same vein, the Body of Senior Advocate of Nigeria and the Nigerian Bar Association all condemned the raid on official residences of judicial officers by security operatives.
