Don’t be used as pawns by politicians -CJN warns judges

CHIEF Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mahmud Mo­hammed has urged judges not to allow themselves to be used as pawns by desperate politi­cians in the quest for power. He charged them to be upright and faithful to their oath of of­fice as
judicial officers.

Justice Mahmud gave the admonition yesterday while administering the oath of of­fice on the 30 newly-appoint­ed judges of the Federal High Court.

Although the CJN argued that corruption among judicial officers was minimal, never­theless, he called on accusers to furnish him with the par­ticulars of incidences of judi­cial corruption as well as the identities of the perpetrators, so that the National Judicial Council (NJC) could remove such deviants from the bench.

He described Nigeria judi­ciary as one of the best in the world headed by courageous and hardworking judges.

However, speaking on judi­cial corruption, the CJN said:

“I wish to address the vexed issue of judicial cor­ruption. This is because alle­gations about corrupt judicial officers and staff now make headline news on a more fre­quent basis.

With each allegation that passes, the need is ever pres­ent for the judiciary to address this issue and I feel it neces­sary to once again do so. Al­though I will not hide away from the reality that some judges and judicial staff may be complicit in corrupt prac­tices, however, I must assert that corruption within the ju­diciary is only imbibed by a minute minority.

I believe that the Nigerian judiciary is comprised largely of judicial officers, who are hardworking, dedicated, ethi­cally minded, learned, patri­otic and possess the highest standards of morals. Indeed there is scarcely any other type of public servant as com­mitted to their role as these dispensers of justice. The Nigerian judiciary is one of the hard working judiciaries in the world, despite the pau­city of funds and the lack of adequate welfare provisions for its personnel.

Nevertheless, I must accept the need for the judiciary to sanitise itself where allega­tions are made. However, as the saying goes- he who al­leges must prove. This will, indeed, be done where the ac­cusers themselves avail us of the particulars of these inci­dences of judicial corruption as well as the identity of the perpetrators, so that the NJC can act promptly and appro­priately to remove such devi­ants from the bench.

That said, given the current situation in the country, the ju­diciary’s role, as a neutral, im­partial arbiter has never been more crucial.

I urge your lordships and all judicial officers not to al­low themselves to be used as pawns by our various politi­cians in their quest for power.”


SOURCE