With the ongoing clampdown on judges for alleged
corrupt practices, outspoken Senator, Shehu Sani, on
Monday said the three arms of Nigeria’s government
– Executive, Legislature and Judiciary – are now
bugged by corruption.
Mr. Sani, the All Progressives Congress Senator
representing Kaduna Central, said this in the wake of
the sting operation conducted by the State Security
Service, leading to the arrest of some judges for
alleged corrupt practices.
In the early hours of Saturday, SSS operatives raided
residences of some judges Gestapo style. No few
than 15 judges are under investigation, with 7 already
in custody.
Mr. Sani said the allegations against the judges
completed a circle of corruption running around the
three arms of government in Nigeria.
“With mountains of allegations of corruption in the
kitchen cabinet of Mr. President; with mountains of
allegations of corruption in the Parliament; with
mountains of allegations of corruption in the
Judiciary, now we are having a three Arms of
corruption,” said Mr. Sani.
Key members of the President’s Muhammadu
Buhari’s administration, including the Chief of Staff,
Abba Kyari; Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi;
and Interior Minister, Abdurhaman Dambazzau, have
come under spotlight for alleged corrupt practices.
In the National Assembly, apart from the Senate
President, Bukola Saraki, who is facing trial for
alleged false asset declaration; fugitives like Buruji
Kashamu and Joshua Dariye; and former governors
like Danjuma Goje and Godswill Akpabio have cases
with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Also, the Speaker of the House of Representatives
was accused of corruption and abuse of office in the
2016 budget process by Abdulmumin Jibrin, former
appropriations committee chairman.
Mr. Sani, in a statement sent to Premium Times, said
the action of the SSS amounted to “sadism” and
smacked of totalitarianism if due process was not
followed.
“The raid on the residences of the Supreme Court
judges if done with a proper court order is justified
but if done without a proper court order is nothing
but sadism.
“Support for search or arrest without warrant
irrespective of the gravity of suspicion is a tacit
endorsement of tendencies of a totalitarian state,”
the Senator said.
But if the SSS followed due process of law, he
continued, defending the judges despite “evidences
of harvest of cash in their houses is nothing but
wholesale endorsement of corruption.”
The SSS has defended its action, saying it acted within
provisions of the law. Similarly, the presidency said
the action was not a war against the Judiciary, but
against corruption, assuring of regard for the bench.
Admonishing the judiciary, Mr. Sani said the bench
“should not be and must not be a cash counter.”
He added that, “impunity is rooted in a society where
Justice is for the highest bidder; corrupt Judges are
merchants of Justice; and commercialization of
Justice puts Justice on tender.”
He also warned the Federal Government against
tyrannical tendencies, and breaching law to pursue
its anti-corruption fight.
The lawmaker said: “For the SSS and the Federal
Government this is my take:
1-Rule of law is the most potent weapon in the fight
against corruption in a democratic society;
2-Each time we circumvent the rule of law for
expediency, we reinforce the pillar of tyranny.
3-It’s not the good we achieve when we cut short the
rule of law, it’s the evil that could be justified
using the same route.
4-Whatever you achieve using the rule of law is
insured against moral stain.
5-To break the law in order to enforce the law is to
extinguish the flame of justice upon which the rule of
law is alighted.”
While stressing that the Judiciary risks losing public
confidence if “rulings turn to products of
transaction”, he warned that security agencies should
not be immune from respect for rule of law.
“We must not give a blank cheque to security
agencies which can be abused,” he said.