The judiciary has gone unnoticed as one of the arms of government that has benefitted most in the corruption fiesta of the country in the past 16 years of our democratization process. The corrupt ones among the luminaries have helped in rigging elections, defending criminals and laundering money for corrupt politicians. At a point in our fledging democratic experience, judgments were for sale and the highest bidder wins the case.
The past administrations were not interested in purging the judiciary of its rotten elements, they were largely interested in using them to authenticate impunity by incredulous judgments procured through the backdoor. The trend of judiciary impunity was so audaciously replicated in political cases where courts of equivalent jurisdictions give conflicting judgments – clearly exposing corruption in the Nigerian judiciary.
The rusty arrests of judges in Abuja, Port Harcourt and Gombe by an arm of security operatives, regardless of the financial burst is set to mars the federal government position at stemming the impunity in the judiciary. There is no justification for the style of arrest applied. Legal process is expected to take precedence over unconstitutional “storm and search” method used. What is wrong must be described according to its breach and nothing more. The commando style burst has high possibilities of casualties on lives of innocent Nigerians.
The raid was without notice, a situation were most judges are well armed with licensed guns on account of sensitivity of their job, ugly ending is very possible. The “sting operation” would have led to exchange of fire that might have spiraled into a serious social impasse. Many Nigerians are apprehensive of robbers, kidnappers, militants and terrorists, it is therefore possible most people around the vicinity could construe the burst as an invasion from one of the numerous terror cells in the country.
Rules of engagement were not followed. It is also not clear if the security operatives behind the siege communicated with other sister security organizations. A statement issued by the marauding security agent clearly revealed that one sister security organization worked with hoodlums under the supervision of a state governor. If similar operations are carried out in flashpoint areas, the result could be devastating.
Imagine neighbors rising to a call to arms on account of hooded group of people hacking at people’s doors. It might shock a few the amount of weapon’s that will be turn against such raiding squad. Rules of engagement is necessary, to avoid mob actions like the one witnessed in Niger state recently. It may be recalled that at Kpaidna village near Beji, Bosso Local Government of Niger state, soldiers and villagers clashed.
It was reported that the soldiers stormed the village to carryout security operation only to be resisted by villagers who thought they were terrorists. The unfortunate incident was meant to be “sting” against armed herders but the result became fatal on account of security situation in the country. Such happenings are reasons why care must be applied to prevent unnecessary loss of lives. At least its on record that the present administration has achieved a lot in fighting against corruption using other methods more civil more legal than clandestine raids.
Already trouble might be brewing with the role a Governor in one of the Southern state played and vow to continue playing if similar arrest continues. The governor personally supervised a dispatch of security/thugs to foil the arrest. Threats were made, guns were wielded and only divine intervention prevented a “happy trigger” individual from discharging. The Rambo – pattern rescue mission of the said governor may have laid credence to the high profile corruption leveled against the legal luminaries, but that also serves as a wake up call to negative implication of the burst.
The action of the governor may be a precursor to the consequence of a threat of savage violence if the next wave of attack is ordered. The federal government must re-strategize operations. We cannot embellish this misguided operation. It contravenes moral judgment where there is law. It gives critics and unrepentant criminals the audacity to criticize the present administration – they even call it dictatorial on account of the constitution breaching burst.
Some people may want to justify the arrests especially with the loads of cash finds, but we need to question the method of arrest. We must remind ourselves that government has records to nail this people. It is also instructive to intimate that the judges in question could have their homes cordoned awaiting a search warrant. The sting operation only reminds Nigerians of the dark era of the military.
For those who see justification in every wrong move by this administration, it is only a matter of time before we regret certain actions. We must avoid situations that might bring sympathy to the alter of judges whose life has been riddled with impunity. We must realize that when a justiciable action is executed subordinating the law, the offenders will suddenly become victims and the aim of sanitizing the judiciary would be defeated.
Already the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has declared a state of emergency has been declared on the judiciary, when ordinarily that kind of clarion call should have been reserved for something better. Now it’s not the criminals that are before the public court but the law, which should have consulted with the constitution and powerful opinions of well-read and experienced Nigerians.
Written by, Israel A. Ebije.
Ebijeo5@gmail.com, ebijeisrael@yahoo.com
@ebijeisrael
