A retired Supreme Court Judge, Justice Ejembi Eko has urged Nigeria’s Anti-graft Agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC and the office of the Auditor General of the federation to expose the corruption going on in the management of the Judiciary’s budgetary resources.
Retired Justice Eko gave the advice at his valedictory session marking his exit after forty-five years in service held in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
According to him, the heads of courts in Nigeria have enormous budgetary resources to improve the welfare of judges, but welfare remains in an abject state.
“This clearly is an allusion, albeit an inducement, pointing to the internal fraud attending the management of the budgetary resources of the Judiciary.
“Nothing stops the office of the Auditor General of the federation, the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission ICPC and other investigative agencies from opening ‘books of the Judiciary’ to expose corruption in the management of their budgetary resources.”
He noted that the investigation does not compromise the independence of the Judiciary but promotes accountability.
Justice Eko called for consideration of the plights of judicial officers who retired from state High Courts and Sharia Courts.
He also called for competence and transparency in the selection of judges for appointments.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria Justice, Ibrahim Tanko Muhammed who congratulated Justice Ejembi Eko for a peaceful retirement, described him as a dogged jury who is not frightened by any challenges that confront him.
“His amiable disposition and reticent outlook have literally made him a calm but ferocious judicial activist in the temple of Justice.
“For many years to come, his mastery of the law, which was adequately complemented with eloquent judicial pronouncements, will not only adorn the pages of law reports but will equally perennially resonate in our courtrooms.”
Justice Tanko noted that justice Eko’s judicial pronouncements have occupied vital pages of law books across the African continent and beyond.
Also, Nigeria’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami while congratulating Justice Ejembi Eko for a successful retirement said, the jury, has impacted positively the justice sector.
While commending the Nigerian Government’s efforts in revamping the judiciary, Malami stressed the need for the judiciary to ensure prudence in spending and budgeting adding that; “The judiciary is working in synergy with the Nigerian legislature for the smooth running of the judicial system.”
PIAK
