Why I prevented judge’s arrest, by Wike
Nyesom Wike
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike said he stopped the arrest of Justice Abdullahi Liman of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, by the Department of State Services (DSS) to ensue the rule of law.
He stated this when a group, Non-Indigenes Without Borders led by
Mr. Emeka Onowu, visited him at the Government House, Port Harcourt yesterday.
Wike, on October 8 prevented attempts by the DSS and the police to arrest Justice Liman for alleged corrupt practices. He said his action was not to stop the security agencies from doing their job, but rather to ensure that the right process was followed.
The governor explained that he was not supporting any judge in the country found culpable of corrupt practices, but that it was wrong for security operatives to invade the residence of a judge in the night.
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30 Comments
So every state governors has the power to over ride any federal laws. Nigeria is gradually becoming SOMALIA where war lords ruled in every corner of that country. BUHARI i hope you are awake ! ! !
These are the downsides of the immunity you give to idiots. What can you do, when Governors abuse the immunity and their house of assemblies who can caution or impeach them are actually backing them. The President is handicapped, otherwise he would be called a dictator.
You have consciously or otherwise ignored a fact. Justice Liman is and was always available to be arrested during the day. And, without fanfare. Shikena!
No you are wrong, in the Nigeria law, once there is a valid warranty, security operatives can search and arrest anybody for any criminal allegation at anytime of the day. It can be in the middle of the night. Arresting in the night might not be convenient, respectful or courteous but it is not unconstitutional. Tell me what respect does a corrupt or allegedly corrupt judge deserve?
Justice Okoro happens to have sat and adjudicated on a sensitive case involving the DSS as active parties, probably still does up till when this happened. Commonsense would have suggested to the DSS to be extra-cautious in its approach lest they may be viewed to want to emasculate judges and impair justice and pre-determine the outcome of any such pending case. Remember that not only is justice always expected to be done. It is also always expected that justice is seen to be done. I dont see that being the case now.
Can you now see how destructive it could be for a judge to be corrupt. A judge have a case involving DSS in his court and there are several allegation of corruption written against him. Even it was confirmed that NJC was written on some of these judges and they took no action. But I don’t blame the NJC, if there is no solid evidence, what can they do. If a sting action is not conducted, how do you catch these judges red-handed. Judges are suppose to be without blemish especially at that level of supreme court justice. It is unacceptable.
Well, i think the DSS did wrong. They had no constitutional madate. No competency. No finesse. No right to do what they did.
Thats primary. Everything else is secondary.
Had they been intelligent and dilligent. Had they been able to resist the urge to use their raw (illegal and extra-constitutional) power to act, they could simply have asked the NJC to re-assign any such cases, they could have raided, searched and arrested the judges without drama – these guys dont habitually keep thugs and cultists in their compond so they need not have gone kitted for war?
And finally, having followed reasonable procedure to get them step aside, they could have asked the AGF to prosecute or give them, DSS the judicial fiat to prosecute.
This is what i now see they have belatedly tried to do.
They were only investigating to get evidence, they were not prosecuting by invading the residences of the judges. They have the constitutional right to do that.
No. They have no constitutional right to investigate judicial bribery and corruption. In fact, i suspect they have no constitutional right or basis at all. But thats an argument for another day. If they have any rights, it has to be about security – haramites, avengers, coupists, herdsmen etc. Not judges suspected of taking bribes, let alone invade their residence like you would a jihadist.
Yes they do, the constitution says all matters that relate to state security…It is now left to how you define that. If a judge who will adjudicate between warring parties in Nigeria is taking bribes to compromise judgment, cant that lead to war?. E.g. if a judge collect a bribe from a political party and awarded election victory which is wrong, what would the supporters of the party do when they get to hear what transpired?
Thats is stretching definitions a bit far and beyond what may have been envisaged in law. But thats open to debate. I am however satisfied that imhave made my point why i believe these actions are wrong and dont belong in a modern society same way the systemic corruption we see everyday in Nigeria doesnt belong too.
Thanks for your opinion and the opportunity to engage you in this discussion. You are entitled to your opinion and I respect that. Have a nice day.
Thanks for the time and patience you have taken to engage EyeServis. I have decided not to engage people on the issues of the search of the houses of Judges since I have come to realize that most of the arguments are not based on facts of the law. The best you get out of those against the arrest is “I just know it is not right” when you ask what section of the administration of criminal justice act was breached they get emotional saying why breakdown doors and why in the night when the act itself made specific provision for forceful entry and that time of arrest is anytime any day. At least they have dropped the issue of warrant in their arguments. Most don’t even know that our Constitution made specific provision for the arrest of Judges meaning it was anticipated. Only in Nigeria can a judge not even a policeman come out and say particular individuals approached him with the intention to bribe and no legal and punitive measured were initiated only for a judge to turn around and want to use that as a blackmail chip. We are truly in trouble more with people whose lenses accommodation corruption because of their political exigencies
Thanks for your insightful contribution. Engaging this EyeServis of a guy disrupted my work yesterday, but I felt a sense of need in engaging such people if that is only what we can do to salvage this country from those who have chosen not to see reason why the nation has remained grounded for over fifty years. God will deliver us.
These are the downsides of the immunity you give to idiots. What can you do, when Governors abuse the immunity and their house of assemblies who can caution or impeach them are actually backing them. The President is handicapped, otherwise he would be called a dictator
Whatever “handicap” you think Buhari has, doesnt seem to have stopped him from unleashing dictatorial actions all the way from the Daura-based DSS.
It makes me wonder if ‘idiots-with-immunity’ monnicker applies to Buhari too. Abi wetin u tink?
What are these dictatorial actions, can you name them?
Ask Justice Okoro. Ask Sambo Dasuki. Look through the operations of INEC up to so far. So many others, if you care to see for yourself. Too numerous to mention.
Please mention them, otherwise you will be committing a fallacy of hasty generalization. Justice Okoro is shameless to be telling us now that he was being victimized because he refused to be bribed. He should tell that to the birds in the air. He should defend the allegation against him and clear his name and stop looking for who to drag in the mud. Don’t even mention Sambo Dasuki to me. It is only a shameless person that will associate himself with an enemy of the people like Dasuki. Imagine a man who is also an Hausa like the victims of the book haram sharing the money that is meant to rescue his people from terrorist. You, can you pray that your son will follow the path of Sambo Dasuki in life?
Unlike you, i have not found Justice Okoro guilty as (NOT) charged. Neither have i found him not guilty.
I have not found Sambo Dasuki guilty as (NOT) charged. Neither have i found him not guilty. So, my point is tihere shouldnt be an alternative to going through the rigmarole of due process.
And, it is in the casual manner which certain actors in this present government have arrogated themselves the right to adhere to whatever aspects of the existing legal codes suits their needs and ignore whichever doesnt suit them, and even manufacture non-existent codes which makes the government of the day a dictatorship.
I dont know what your definition of “shameless” is and how that fits into this scenario. It is wrong to ignore existing rules, regulations and law codes and extra-legislatively fabricate rules by which we engage in actions which impact citizens of any country. In which case we have to ask what constitutes a banana republic, if not acts such as that? This is not Gambia, Afghanistan, North Korea or Somalia, this is Nigeria!
We should not permit recklessness in the name of due process. We all know how corrupt politicians, lawyers and Judges use the court process to frustrate prosecution and conviction of corrupt people. Whereas, the masses are out there suffering. Dasuki disbursed money, those who collected them confirmed they collected money. We all know the money did not belong to Dasuki neither did it belong to PDP nor even GEJ. It was Nigeria money diverted. It is wicked, barbaric and callous and certainly ungodly. They can continue to use the technicalities of the law to delay and waste time hoping that by 2019, another government will take over. But there is a God in even who does not have tenure and is always on the throne. He would avenge on behalf of Nigerians. He would ensure themselves, their families and supporters received the eternal punishment they deserve because of their wickedness.
I dont know what you claim “we all know”.
Yes. I have heard it just like i am sure you did. It is called hearsay. Not fact. So, i honestly think you have perverted the truth by suggesting we know (what we dont know). The point of going through the judicial process, is to finally establish what “we know” and eventually establish such as a given. Clearly, that is yet to happen. So, pipe low. I suggest you be patient and resist the urge and reckless lure of unfettered power of visiting ‘necklacing’ to s/he who has yet to have their day(s) in court.
Ps
And, the AGF must work hard to undo and unhinge those “technicalities” which enable those corrupt politicians to escape justice. He must do so with the same vigour he seems to be pursuing perceived enemies of Buhari. He must do it by writing and (co)sponsoring a bill (or bills) in NASS. In other words, he must resist the so very (tempting) temptation of doing it extra-judicially and extra-constitutionally.
May be you like to pretend, I suppose. Otherwise, if you live in Nigeria or at least follow what is happening, you will know that many accused politician have written statements that they collected money from Dasuki only that they did not know the source. Stop this hiding behind the judicial process to aid criminals. It will not help us in this country. It is destroying Nigeria and I don’t have another country. May be you do. Anywhere we see corruption, be it in PDP or APC ; executive, legislature or judiciary; North or south; let us all condemn it. I beg you in the name of whichever God you serve.
I do consult for people here in Nigeria. Legitimately so too. And when i do get a job, i scope it, then price it. I then present both to the client.
I have done these things both in and outside Nigeria.
Never, has it ever occured to me to ask first if the client prostituted for the money or won it in las vegas casino, money which is used to pay my due invoice.
I suspect it would be difficult in a civilised society for me to then be found guilty of having such money in my name. If such were to be the norm, then it would have been logical for the British government and Crown Prosecution Service to go and seize funds and property paid to those who sold properties to James Ibori when he was arraigned in court for fraud AND after he was found guilty. Dont you think?
Simply put, the government is dictatorial in thinking, in application and in actions AND inactions.
If you don’t do due diligence in taking on clients, one day you might run into problem. If you get entangled with the criminal, you will need to do a lot of explanation when the chips a re down. Having said that, consulting in your career field is different from politics or political activities especially in Nigeria. Most of the money that exchange hands for election activities are questionable both in sources and the objectives of giving out the money. Bribes are freely given to curry favour and to help in rigging. The government appears to be dictatorial now because only one man is ready for the change, many of his ministers, legislators, governors, judges, lawyers etc. are not interested and we are not making progress.
Now you are beginning to see the light i suspect. The methods, scope and objectives need to be codified. To maintain standards for everybody else who comes in to do it. And for the dSS’s of this world to follow. And to narrow options for criminals to evade sanction.
And as for my taking pains to be professional by scoping, pricing, doing my job and asking for receipted payment per invoice, i am here taking pains to engage in this debate because i know the society in which we live here is so barbaric that what is wrong becomes right simply because Mr XYZ may have subverted the system in the past hence everybody else passing through thereafter is guilty of subverting the system. And i refuse to accept that.
The onus should be on them to show that i am not entitled to get paid for service offered.
Which money was diverted? Does Jonathan require Buhari’s approval before his govt can spend money? Take the matter to court and let us see.
When a president order that the money meant to fight terrorism should be diverted and shared to the party members, it is called abuse of office and it is chargeable to a court of law, because it is contrary to the budget approved by the national assembly. The budget approved by national assembly is called appropriation bill or law and any deviation is punishable under the law
At the end of this govt tenure, a new govt will investigate these allegations against Amaechi. At that Amaechi may also be in prison while being investigated.
Thank you so much for speaking the truth. It seems many people are blinded by i dont know what. I dont understand how some people still think it is ok to blame PMB for taking such actions. The fact is these people are crooks and thieves and they should be dealt with. there is evidence against them so they should prove their innocence. It would be a different case if no evidence was found. In a court of law evidence is evidence no matter how it was obtained.
We will review and take appropriate action.