Our Reporter, Abuja
Rights activist and foremost campaigner for judicial reforms, Professor Chidi Odinkalu, has carpeted the National Judicial Council (NJC) for letting judges get away with serious judicial infractions thus making the regulatory body compicit in the corruption and wrongdoings in the judiciary.
Ikengaonline had reported that the NJC had handed down different punishments on some judges including the Acting Chief Judge of Imo State and Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
Reacting to the NJC statement detailing sanctions on some of the errant judges on Thursday, the former chairman of the National Human Rights Commission took to his X account to lacerate the NJC for not doing enough but only handed a slap on the wrists to judges for very serious offences that warrant outright dismissal.
He said that NJC’s actions on the judges were not enough even as he promised to continue insisting on transparency and fairness in the judicial system despite intimidation from some quarters.
“What it has done in these cases is just not good enough. If it is not willing to root out judicial crookedness, then it should be rooted out.
“Jane Inyang became Justice of @CourtOfAppealNG in Sept 2023, less than 2 yrs ago. Yesterday, @njcNig suspended her for just 1 yr for egregious acts of judicial corruption while she sat in @FederalHigh. How can she still be a judge?!
“This was part of the last minute elevations masterminded by the baleful Olukakayode Ariwoola as he made his way out of office as the Chief Justice of Nigeria, #CJN, in Aug 2024.
“The only miracle in the case of Inyang Ekwo is how he has remained on the bench until now. He’s bn one of the more predictable judges in @FederalHigh. For the past year, he has bn under caution by @njcNig. Now, he has bn suspended for delivering judgment without hearing parties!
“Many will see these dispositions by @njcNig as progress; Maybe. But, these dispositions are evidence of the deep malaise that currently afflicts the #NigerianJudiciary. 1st, if a person is as crooked as Jane Inyang or as Inyang Ekwo, how can that person be a judge to begin with?
“2nd, if a judge can behave with such manifest impunity & disregard for the basic rules of judicial comportment as these 2 & still remain a judge – that’s what suspension for 1 year means – what wld it take for a judge to be relieved of their position? May be commit murder….?
“3rd, how did Jane Inyang manage to make it to @CourtOfAppealNG while the complaint about her conduct was still pending? @njcNig says it has suspended her from elevation for 5 yrs. U know what that means? She can still get to @SupremeCourtNg. U see the mess we are in?
“In plain language, the @njcNig is now deeply complicit in judicial corruption. It is handing out these irresponsible slaps on the wrist with utter disregard for their effect on judicial integrity or the damage that these entrench in the judiciary. This rot is deeply criminal.
“The conclusion is inescapable that @njcNig as currently constituted is part of the problem not part of the solution.
“What it has done in these cases is just not good enough. If it is not willing to root out judicial crookedness, then it should be rooted out.
“If you read this, just ask @njcNig one question: if a judge is suspended for one year without pay, what is the person doing coming back to be a judge? If anything, the person is more likely to come back more hungry & more corrupt. No?,” Odinkalu stated.
