Ibrahim Muhammad, chief justice
of Nigeria (CJN), has distanced himself from Shehu Sani, a former senator who
is currently being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC) over alleged extortion.
The EFCC had arrested Sani last
week for allegedly collecting money from Sani Dauda, owner of ASD Motors,
promising to pass it on to Ibrahim Magu, acting chairman of the anti-graft
agency.
Sani, who represented Kaduna
central senatorial district between 2015 and 2019, was also alleged to have
said he could assist Dauda in influencing the outcome of some cases using his
connection with the CJN and some other judges.
But in a statement on Sunday, the
CJN who denied being involved in such unethical conduct, said he has never met
Sani.
He wondered why some persons were
out to damage his reputation in exchange for financial reward.
Vowing that perpetrators of “such
falsehood” can never be allowed to walk away with the dastardly act, Muhammad
said the lesson that those behind the defamation would learn “will surely serve
as deterrent to other potential name droppers and extortionists, who are
apparently wanting in noble candor that may also be eagerly waiting in the
queue to thread the same path of infamy”.
“Our attention has been drawn to
the story making the round in some national dailies where it was reported that
Senator Shehu Sani allegedly approached Alhaji Sani Dauda of ASD Motors and
purportedly demanded for the sum of N4, 000,000 to give to the Chief Justice of
Nigeria, Hon. Dr Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, to settle some unnamed four
Judges over a case he (Shehu Sani) allegedly claimed won’t see the light of the
day,” the CJN said in a statement which Festus Akande, spokesman of the supreme
court, issued on his behalf.
“Let it be known that if the
statement credited to Shehu Sani was actually made by him, it is simply a
blatant lie, a figment of his imagination and an orchestrated falsehood
immodestly concocted to malign, smear and disingenuously tarnish the good image
and reputation of the CJN with a view to gaining financial reward.
“Even though the veracity of the
true source of the unsubstantiated statement has not yet been ascertained to
know if it was really from the former Senator, it is, however imperative to
keep the records straight by letting the public know that Justice Tanko
Muhammad has never, in his entire life, seen or had any form of encounter or
interactions, either directly or remotely with Shehu Sani, let alone giving him
assurances of what is not only unethical but equally despicable and inglorious,
to say the least.
“The outcome of the ongoing
investigations will determine the next line of action to be taken regarding the
flagrant defamation of the character of the Chief Justice of Nigeria.”
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