Members of the National Judicial Council
(NJC) yesterday condemned attacks on judges in Ekiti State.
The members faulted the Governor-elect, Mr.
Ayo Fayose, for not controlling his supporters.
The Council also mandated President of the Court
of Appeal Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa to relocate the Ekiti Election Petition
Tribunal to Abuja if the situation in the state does not guarantee security of
its members.
The NJC directed that all courts in Ekiti
State be reopened and mandated the Inspector-General of Police, Mr.
Suleiman Abba, to provide adequate security for all judges in the state.
With the development, Justice Isaac Ogunyemi,
who is handling the ineligibility case against Fayose will sit unhindered.
The NJC asked the IGP to unmask the thugs who
assaulted judges and bring them to trial immediately.
It was gathered that all the NJC members were
unhappy that thugs loyal to Fayose assaulted judges.
A source said: “Technically, the Ekiti High
Court hearing the application on Fayose’s ineligibility will continue to sit.
“By its tradition and precedents, the
Council would not interfere in a judicial process which has to do with
purely legal issues. That case will run its full cycle because there are still
appellate courts, up to the Supreme Court, for redress.
“ The NJC only mandated the IGP to provide
adequate security for all judges in Ekiti State and all judicial workers
irrespective of the cases they are handling.
“We also resolved that the IGP should
investigate the assault on judges in the state and bring all those behind it
whether supporters or thugs to justice.”
Asked why the NJC did not provide details in
its statement, another NJC member added: “This is a case involving politicians.
We do not want to be seen as biased in any manner.”
The NJC’s resolutions at its emergency
meeting presided over by Chairman Justice Aloma Mukhtar, signed by NJC’s Acting
Director, Information, Soji Oye said: “Following the recent unfortunate and
worrisome incidents in Ekiti State Judiciary, particularly in the High Court
Complex, Ado-Ekiti, the National Judicial Council held an emergency meeting on
October 2, 2014 under the Chairmanship of Justice Aloma Mukhtar, and considered
the various complaints and petitions forwarded to it.
“At the end of the Meeting, Council
decided as follows:
•In very strong terms condemned the attacks
on the Judiciary and Judicial Officers in general across the country and in
particular, the one carried out in High Court complex, Ado-Ekiti on 22nd and
25th September, 2014.
•Requested the Inspector-General of Police to
take over and investigate the alleged attacks on Hon. Justices John Adeyeye and
Isaac Olusegun Ogunyemi, some members of staff of the Court and vandalisation
of property of the High Court of Justice, Ado-Ekiti and bring the culprits to
justice.
•Requested the Inspector-General of Police as
a matter of urgency to provide adequate security to Judicial Officers and the
Judiciary in Ekiti State.
•All petitions forwarded by all parties to
the council on the matter are being looked into.”
The Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja
branch, said yesterday that the continuous closure of Ekiti state
courts endangered democracy and rule of law.
Its chairman Yinka Farounbi stated this while
reviewing a three-day fact finding mission to the state following attacks on
some judges of the State High Court.
The association urged Ekiti Chief Judge Chief
Judge Justice Adebisi. Daramola to re-open the courts, since substantial peace
and normalcy have now returned to the state capital.
The NBA chairman held Fayose liable for
the mayhem and physical assault on Justice J. O Adeyeye and others last week.
The Ikeja NBA chairman said the three-day
fact finding mission to the state between September 28 and 30, indicated that
Mr Fayose “did not stop” his supporters from assaulting the judges.
According to Farounbi, the PDP
governor-elect watched his supporters physically assaulting the judge
without any attempt to stop them.
“Hon. Justice Adeyeye was indeed assaulted
with fist blows, whips and kicks by about 20 people who were with the
governor-elect, as he was passing by the former’s court.
“The assault on the judicial officer
happened when the judge left his Chamber and went over to Mr.Ayo Fayose,
asking him to control his noisy and unruly followers. This led to an argument
between the duo and the assault on the judge then took place. The governor-elect
‘did not stop his followers”, he noted.
“Those that may be found to have participated in the desecration of
Ekiti judiciary should be made to face the wrath of the law no matter highly
placed,” he said
Fayose shld be hold responsible 4 all d criminal activities committed in ekiti state. Ayo fayose is a thug & he shld be treated as one. He must be presecuted also d matter needs to be thoroughly investigated. Fayose is murderer. Gd save nigeria from d hands of blood sucking politicians
ReplyDelete8:28,Fayose killed your family member before?,Fayemi is the pretender and the green snake under the green grass also all the judge we have in nigeria dont respect them self again because of money they are very bias.....God know the truth.Watch your comment.
DeletePeople in Ekiti state are confusing Nigerians. Fayemi congratulated Fayemi for winning election and now Fayemi's party is bent on stopping Fayose's swearing-in. Pleae we do not want repeat of Omoboriowo's experiencee.
ReplyDelete