President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has charged the Nigerian judiciary to remain steadfast, impartial, and incorruptible in dispensing justice, warning that the breakdown of any society begins when those entrusted with interpreting its laws become compromised.
He said his administration is committed to improving the welfare and working conditions of judicial officers, noting that recent remuneration reviews were part of a broader effort to strengthen judicial independence.
Speaking on Monday when he declared open the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and National Judicial Institute (NJI) Workshop for Justices and Judges in Abuja, President Tinubu, who was represented by his deputy, Vice President Kashim Shettima, said the moral foundation of the Nigerian nation rests squarely on the integrity of its judicial system.
“We draw our moral distinction as a people from the judiciary, and we owe it the reverence and autonomy to remain the last sanctuary of our collective conscience,” President Tinubu said.
The President addressed growing public concerns about delayed adjudication in high-profile corruption cases while cybercrime matters are resolved more swiftly.
“The theme of this year’s workshop, Enhancing Justice in the Fight Against Economic and Financial Crimes, will resonate amongst many in this audience, coming at a time when conversation in the fight against corruption evokes anger over delayed adjudication of high-profile matters while cases involving cybercrime masterminds are determined with dispatch.
“There is also a certain level of consternation over decisions of courts in serious corruption matters that engender feelings that society is being left with the wrong end of the stick,” he said.
However, President Tinubu defended his administration’s non-interference approach, stating: “There is no person or group who can accuse this administration of shielding political actors on account of their affiliation to this government or the political party. We have allowed both the judiciary and the anti-graft agencies to exercise their constitutional and statutory powers.”
The President highlighted achievements in the anti-corruption drive, revealing that the EFCC “has recorded over seven thousand convictions in the first two years of my administration and recovered assets in excess of five hundred billion naira.”
He added that the recovered proceeds are being channelled into social investment programmes, including the Students Loan and Consumer Credit Schemes.
Addressing the technological challenges facing the judiciary, President Tinubu noted the evolution from simple email evidence to complex blockchain analysis in financial crime cases.
“How does one do justice in a cryptocurrency fraud case except one is grounded in such matters? Learning and relearning is no longer a buzz phrase but an essential undertaking for continued relevance in this digital age,” he said.
The President reminded judicial officers that corruption affects everyone equally: “Your vantage position on the Bench does not insulate you from the consequences of corruption. There are no special roads, hospitals, or communities for judges.
“A Nigeria free of corruption is possible if we all commit to doing what is right in our respective spheres of influence,” President Tinubu said.
For her part, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) and Chairman of the Board of Governors of the National Judicial Institute (NJI), Hon. Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, maintained that the decisions of judicial officers have a profound impact on the growth and stability of Nigeria.
She charged judicial officers to be deliberate in applying the relevant constitutional tools at their disposal while exercising firm control over proceedings.
She emphasized that the strength of the judiciary lies in the trust reposed in judges by the Nigerian people, urging them to ensure that justice is neither delayed nor partial.
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, represented by the Chief Whip of the Senate, Mohammed Monguno, stressed that while corruption is an enemy of the state, the fight against it requires action from the legislature, a vigilant citizenry, and a courageous judiciary.
He assured that the National Assembly will continue to play its part in equipping law enforcement agencies to combat crime so that corruption finds no place to hide in Nigeria.
The Administrator of the NJI, B.A. Adejumo, stated that the gathering has become a significant milestone over the years in the quest to fight corruption, adding that “no nation can develop without tackling corruption.”
He called for continued collaboration between the EFCC, the judiciary, and the Institute to ensure that judicial officers remain abreast of the latest developments in the justice sector.
The Chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, SAN, disclosed that the landmark decision of the Supreme Court, which upheld the Commission’s anti-corruption mandate, has further strengthened anti-corruption institutions.
“The record of 4,111 convictions and humongous asset recoveries could not have been achieved by a lazy or ineffective judiciary,” he added.
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