Lawyers Denounce Unjustified Attacks On Judiciary

Lawyers Denounce Unjustified Attacks On Judiciary

ABUJA—Senior legal professionals in Nigeria, operating under the banner of Lawyers in Defence of Justice (LiDoF), have decried what they call unnecessary assaults on the integrity of the judiciary, particularly targeting the leaders of Federal Courts across the nation…READ MORE…

In a statement issued to journalists in Abuja, the lawyers characterized as regrettable the alleged attempts to embroil the judiciary in the turbulent realm of Nigerian politics, especially concerning the political unrest in Rivers State.

LiDoF expressed distress about the involvement of individuals who should be well-versed in court operations and indicated a willingness to bring such parties before the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) for disciplinary measures.

The statement, co-signed by Executive Director Mr. Silas Igwuebe and Secretary Boniface Olufade, also called on the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to take decisive action against lawyers who malign judges publicly.

“We have observed with deep concern the ongoing attacks on the judiciary from individuals who ought to understand better,” the statement read. “These relentless attacks have reached a point where, as legal practitioners devoted to justice, we can no longer turn a blind eye to these persistent efforts to tarnish our institution.”

“It is particularly unfortunate that some leading figures in the legal community are at the forefront of discrediting the judiciary by casting aspersions on our judicial officers through media channels,” they added.

The statement clarified that while Chief Judges (CJs) are responsible for assigning cases, they do not dictate how judges should manage their court proceedings. It noted that there are only 13 judges serving in Abuja’s Federal High Court, and cases related to the Rivers State political crisis were appropriately assigned by the Chief Judge.

“Assigning multiple cases to the same judge handling similar matters aligns with international best practices for effective case management, thus preventing conflicting orders and judgments.”

The group further emphasized that the proper procedures for a judge to recuse themselves are established in the Court Rules, not through public accusations of bias against the Chief Judge.

“It is absurd to imply that judges could be swayed by a housing scheme they are entitled to,” they remarked. “This project is a federal initiative, not merely the Minister of Federal Capital Territory’s endeavor, who can be replaced at any time.”

They questioned the legitimacy of claims regarding the ownership of yet-to-be-constructed houses and highlighted the uncertainty surrounding judges’ future positions before the project is completed.

“This is not the first instance of a housing scheme for judges; similar initiatives have been implemented in Lagos State for decades without such outcry,” they noted.

Despite the allegations targeting judges at the Federal High Court, the statement revealed that the judicial officers at the Court of Appeal and FCT High Court are to benefit from the program as well.

In conclusion, LiDoF urged those partaking in this misguided campaign to reassess their actions and affirmed their commitment to addressing any continued unwarranted attacks on the judiciary.

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