The Acting Chief Justice of
Nigeria (CJN), Ibrahim Tanko Muhammed has explained that Nigeria’s Judicial arm
of government headed by him has been infested with corrupt elements.
Reacting to questions when
grilled by Senators for his confirmation as the Chief Justice of Nigeria on
Wednesday, he revealed that judiciary under his watch has challenges of corrupt
judges.
He argued that corruption
persists in Nigeria as a result of lack of stiff punishment of offenders,
saying that the legislature should intervene with the review of laws.
“I always say that Nigeria
judiciary is part and parcel of Nigeria and I am not surprised seeing some
judges being corrupt but must be treated same way other corrupt elements are
treated.”
Recalling his experiences when he
was a magistrate in Bauchi years back, he noted that corruption in the
judiciary began when indigenous judges took over adjudication in courts.
“I was a magistrate in Bauchi
then, but by the time I finished law school, went to NYSC and came back and
then we had a White man as our boss, there was no corruption. Later, when we
had a black man we started having problems.”
Tanko urged the legislators to
review Nigeria’s criminal law.
“Left for me, there is a need to
look at our criminal laws again with a view to dealing with corruption in the
society.
“Some criminals are couching on
loopholes in our laws and I want to urge the legislators to amend laws to
sanitize the society.
“In the 50s and 60s up to 70s,
you cannot open your door and sleep with your eyes closed.
Speaking on the independence of
the judiciary, he said, some governors posed a huge challenge to the
independence of the state judiciary, adding that the legislature should tie all
loopholes that are inherent in the nation’s judiciary.
“Some governors deny monthly
allocation to the judiciary while they take care of their political appointees.
“It is in my view that it’s only
the legislature that can put things right in Nigeria.”
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