News Investigators/ President Bola Tinubu has urged the Nigerian judiciary to remain steadfast, impartial, and incorruptible in dispensing justice.
Tinubu, represented by the Vice-President Kashim Shettima, made the call on Monday at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and National Judicial Institute (NJI) Workshop for Justices and Judges in Abuja.
He warned that the breakdown of any society begins, when those entrusted with interpreting its laws, become compromised.
Tinubu 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.
The President 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,” Tinubu said.
The Nigerian leader 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.
“It is 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.
The President defended his administration’s non-interference approach, stressing, “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,” he said.
Tinubu highlighted achievements in the anti-corruption drive, revealing that the EFCC “has recorded over 7000 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.
On technological challenges facing the judiciary, Tinubu noted the evolution from simple email evidence to complex block-chain 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.
He 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.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, maintained that the decisions of judicial officers have a profound impact on the growth and stability of Nigeria.
Kekere-Ekun, who is the Chairman of the Board of Governors of the National Judicial Institute (NJI), implored judicial officers to be deliberate in applying the relevant constitutional tools at their disposal while exercising firm control over proceedings.
She emphasised 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 President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, 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.
Represented by the Chief Whip of the Senate, Mohammed Monguno, he assured that the National Assembly will continue to play its part in equipping law enforcement agencies to combat crime.
The Chairman of 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.
NAN
