The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has lauded the National Judicial Council for recommending compulsory retirement for erring judges, describing it as a ‘good riddance to bad rubbish.’
MURIC said the decision to send Justice Olamide Folahanmi Oloyede of the High Court of the State of Osun and Justice Muhammed Nasiru Yunusa of the Federal High Court, Lagos Division to compulsory retirement was a welcome development.
A statement by its director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, noted that the days when judges with questionable characters were allowed to preside over cases were over.
According to him, “Nigerians were totally flabbergasted when Justice Oloyede wrote a politically motivated petition against Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and his deputy. Yet she could not substantiate her claims when the state’s House of Assembly investigated the matter. Her action contradicted her status as an unbiased umpire. Nigerians would do better with illiterate carpenters as high court judges than learned people of her mean disposition.
“Whereas corruption is the bane of life more abundant for the people of Nigeria and whereas the masses have resolved to tackle this hydra-headed monster headlong by bringing corrupt politicians to book, Justice Muhammed Nasiru Yunusa, in an undisguised attempt to frustrate the course of justice, aided and abetted looters by granting frivolous injunctions in favour of kleptomaniacs.
MURIC also commended NJC for the ‘bold and forthright decision,’ adding that the judiciary will earn its deserved respect if all the bad eggs can be fished out and severely dealt with.
It added, “We warn that the war against corruption cannot succeed if the judiciary constitutes itself into a clog in the wheel of progress. It is sad to see looters sharing less than 10% of their loot with corrupt judges and unprincipled lawyers for the purpose of frustrating the prosecution while they spend the rest 90% living flambouyant lives in the midst of wretched citizens.
“We remind judges that the judiciary is the last hope of the common man. Nigeria is on the brink of economic dehydration unless all leakages can be plugged. The battle line is drawn. Without prejudice to due process and the rule of law, the question on our lips is, “Are you with us or are you with the looters?”
“As we round up, we assure Nigerian judges that the masses are eagerly waiting to see judges and lawyers in the forefront of the war against corruption. Just as the names of looters are currently being hung in the people’s hall of shame, so will the names of judges who stand by the masses to fight corruption be printed in letters of gold in the people’s hall of fame.”
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