‘NJC may be shielding corrupt judges’

More revelations have emerged over the raid on judges residences across the country and their eventual arrest and detention.

According to reports emanating from the Department of State Services, the nation’s secret police have been on the trail of some of the judges for more than six months while one of them had been under investigation for over a year.

Also, the National Judicial Council, NJC, according to reports, had been complicit in its duties, as one of the judges reported to it was cleared despite damning evidence against him.

According to a source at the DSS, a judge begged the DSS Director General, Lawal Daura, when he was confronted with evidence that he got more than N500 million in bribe, adding that the judge refused to unlock the safe in his house for DSS operatives to have access to its contents, a source said.

The source however said the DSS, plans to take possession of the safe to uncover its contents, adding, that another judge obtained a loan from a bank to execute a contract in Bauchi State but defaulted in paying back and the bank took him to the Federal High Court, Bauchi.

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“Corruption in the Judiciary was based on our intelligence gathering and alerts from informants and petitions. It is not based on the perception of Nigerians. We have been on the trail of some of these judges in the last few months.

“For instance, we started probing one of the seven judges in detention since the Ramadan period of 2015. When we got sufficient intelligence on him. Bordering on over N500 million bribe, we invited him,” the source said.

He added, “The judge was given a copy of our report on him. By the time he read it halfway, he prostrated, held the legs of the security chief and begged for forgiveness. We captured the way he was reeling on the floor.

“We later sent a security brief on him to the National Judicial Council (NJC) with enough evidence. But he was cleared by the NJC as having committed no wrong. Since the NJC could not do the needful, we have decided to subject him to a judicial process.

“Another detained judge got a contract from Bauchi State Government and obtained a loan from a bank. But when he defaulted in paying back the facility, the bank filed an action against him before the Federal High Court in Bauchi. What is the business of a judge with contract?”

Speaking in the same vein, another source close to the investigations highlighted ongoing investigation against 15 judges by the DSS.

“We are digging more and getting fresh revelations from these judges. For instance, a Federal High Court judge in detention actually spread the N54 million and $171,779 recovered from his residence in different rooms. He kept them in different parts of the rooms like a thief.

“Some individuals have been bigger than Nigeria. If you are looking for one or two, go to the Judiciary.

“The DSS mandate is to look into anything that is detrimental to Nigeria’s national security interest and to prevent it.

“There is no immunity conferred on judges, we are only duty bound to protect the court because it is a sacred place, a temple of justice. Once you have issues, you go to court but immediately a judge is outside the court, he or she is like you and me.

“There is nothing unusual about the arrest of judges other than it has not been the practice. But it is normal. Once a petition is lodged, it is normal that you just have to look into it as a security agency”, he stated.

By Timothy Enietan-Matthews….

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