Lawyers urge NJC to intensify campaign against corruption
The lawyers gave the advice in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos.
They lauded the NJC under the leadership of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloma Mukhtar, for its attempt to restore credibility to the nation's judiciary.
It will be recalled that the NJC had on February 20 recommended the compulsory retirement of two judges to President Goodluck Jonathan.
The judges, Justices Charles Archibong of the Federal High Court Lagos and Thomas Naron of the Plateau State High Court were asked to proceed on retirement for misconduct.
The NJC had also on April 26 suspended Justice Abubakar Talba of the Federal Capital Territory High Court for one year.
The judge was handed the suspension for failing to exercise his discretion in a matter involving John Yusufu, a Director of Pension, convicted of theft.
Talba had in the judgment delivered on January 28, ordered Yusufu to pay a N750,000 fine, after he pleaded guilty to conspiring with six others to steal about N23 billion.
The money was stolen from the Police Pension Fund.
Mr Onyekachi Ubani, Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Ikeja branch, said the NJC should not relent in its efforts to sanitise the sector.
"The judiciary should be alive to its responsibility to ensure that people's confidence is not shaken.
"We are expecting that there is less of corruption in the judiciary in 2014.
"The judiciary of Nigeria should not be involved in corruption.
"That is why we should appoint only men and women of integrity as judges," Ubani said.
He also advised other arms of government against interfering with the proceedings of the judiciary, especially in high profile corruption cases.
Mr Chino Obiagwu, National Coordinator, Legal Defence and Assistance Project, LEDAP, an NGO, called for more support for the NJC from all stakeholders.
Obiagwu emphasised that the judiciary must strive to remain neutral, especially as the country prepares for 2015 general elections.
He said:"It is very important that the judiciary should maintain its credibility by not getting involved in politics. There is need for every arm of the judiciary to support the CJN in her efforts to curb corruption."
Obiagwu also urged the NBA to borrow a leaf from the NJC by punishing lawyers engaged in unethical practice.
Also speaking, Mr Adetokunbo Mumuni, Executive Director, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, told NAN that there was need to build strong institutions in the country.
Mumuni said, “The judiciary does not exist in isolation. It is a product of the society and the only way to improve its performance is to build strong institutions."
He said corruption in the judiciary was denying many Nigerians access to justice.
They lauded the NJC under the leadership of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloma Mukhtar, for its attempt to restore credibility to the nation's judiciary.
It will be recalled that the NJC had on February 20 recommended the compulsory retirement of two judges to President Goodluck Jonathan.
The judges, Justices Charles Archibong of the Federal High Court Lagos and Thomas Naron of the Plateau State High Court were asked to proceed on retirement for misconduct.
The NJC had also on April 26 suspended Justice Abubakar Talba of the Federal Capital Territory High Court for one year.
The judge was handed the suspension for failing to exercise his discretion in a matter involving John Yusufu, a Director of Pension, convicted of theft.
Talba had in the judgment delivered on January 28, ordered Yusufu to pay a N750,000 fine, after he pleaded guilty to conspiring with six others to steal about N23 billion.
The money was stolen from the Police Pension Fund.
Mr Onyekachi Ubani, Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Ikeja branch, said the NJC should not relent in its efforts to sanitise the sector.
"The judiciary should be alive to its responsibility to ensure that people's confidence is not shaken.
"We are expecting that there is less of corruption in the judiciary in 2014.
"The judiciary of Nigeria should not be involved in corruption.
"That is why we should appoint only men and women of integrity as judges," Ubani said.
He also advised other arms of government against interfering with the proceedings of the judiciary, especially in high profile corruption cases.
Mr Chino Obiagwu, National Coordinator, Legal Defence and Assistance Project, LEDAP, an NGO, called for more support for the NJC from all stakeholders.
Obiagwu emphasised that the judiciary must strive to remain neutral, especially as the country prepares for 2015 general elections.
He said:"It is very important that the judiciary should maintain its credibility by not getting involved in politics. There is need for every arm of the judiciary to support the CJN in her efforts to curb corruption."
Obiagwu also urged the NBA to borrow a leaf from the NJC by punishing lawyers engaged in unethical practice.
Also speaking, Mr Adetokunbo Mumuni, Executive Director, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, told NAN that there was need to build strong institutions in the country.
Mumuni said, “The judiciary does not exist in isolation. It is a product of the society and the only way to improve its performance is to build strong institutions."
He said corruption in the judiciary was denying many Nigerians access to justice.
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