The civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, (HURIWA), has called on the National Judicial Council (NJC) and the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) to probe the corruption allegations levelled against the Chief Justice of Nigeria, (CJN), Tanko Muhammad, serving justices of the Supreme Court.
In an issued press statement signed by the group’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, on Wednesday, HURIWA stated that the CJN should step down as Chairman of the NJC for the investigation to be conducted.
The group noted that the failure of the NJC and the CCT to investigate the allegations against Muhammad was tantamount to injustice considering the fact that the former CJN, Walter Onnoghen, was removed on a controversial note following allegations against him which were probed by both the NJC and the CCT.
Recall that Justices of the Supreme Court had, in a joint petition, accused the CJN of corruption, maladministration and incompetence. However, Muhammad denied the allegations and described the petition of the Justices as “dancing naked at the market square”. He also lamented the effect of the economic situation of the country on the apex court.
HURIWA, however, said an intervention by the Body Of Benchers would mend the broken fences between the Justices and the CJN.
“HURIWA calls on the NJC, the CCT, the National Assembly, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission to probe Muhammad just as they all investigated his predecessor, Walter Onnoghen. This is what justice and equity mean. There must be no sacred cows”, the statement said.
