Kehinde Fajobi
Senior legal practitioners in Nigeria, under the umbrella of Lawyers in Defence of Justice (LiDoF), have condemned what they refer to as ongoing attacks on the integrity of the judiciary, particularly the Heads of Federal Courts.
In a statement issued to newsmen in Abuja, the group expressed concern over attempts to drag the judiciary into the political crisis in Rivers State, describing these actions as unfortunate.
They criticised individuals involved in the smear campaign, particularly those who should know better, and vowed to take them before the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) for punitive measures.
The statement, signed by LiDoF’s Executive Director Mr. Silas Igwuebe and Secretary Boniface Olufade, called on the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to discipline legal practitioners who attack judges in the media.
The group expressed deep disappointment, stating, “These attacks have become too many that, as lawyers and ministers in the temple of justice, we can no longer close our eyes and overlook these unabated attempts to desecrate our temple.”
LiDoF further clarified that the administrative duty of assigning cases to judges rests with the Chief Judge (CJ) but stressed that it is not the CJ’s role to dictate how judges conduct their cases.
They cited the example of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, where the Chief Judge had properly assigned cases related to the Rivers State political crisis to a judge already handling similar matters. This, they explained, follows international best practices and aids in case management by preventing conflicting orders.
The group also rejected the notion that judges could be influenced through housing schemes, noting that such schemes are the responsibility of the federal government, not individual ministers.
They questioned the logic behind accusations that judges could be swayed by housing projects, which judges are entitled to, and compared it to similar schemes in Lagos, which had not faced similar scrutiny.
LiDoF concluded by urging those involved in the campaign to stop misleading the public, warning that further attacks on the judiciary would prompt the association to take necessary actions.