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You’ve messed up the judiciary, retiring judge blasts CJN *Cites exclusion of S’East from S’Court
“My lords, distinguished invitees, ladies and gentlemen, it is obvious that the judiciary I am exiting from is far from the one l voluntarily joined and desired to serve and be identified with. The institution has become something else,” were part of the exact words with which Justice Musa Dattijo Muhammad, until last Friday, Justice of the Supreme Court, came down heavily on Olukayode Ariwola, his colleague at the apex court and currently the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), stopping short at directly calling him a corrupt judge, but left little unsaid, regardless.
On the same day he retired from the apex court, after a 40-year stretch at the judiciary, Muhammad, loosened his tongue to reveal activities at the highest court in the land, with damning verdict linked to Ariwola’s handling of his job as the CJN, including nebulous handling of its funds of the court.
While delivering his address at the valedictory session, before a large audience, comprising his colleagues at the Supreme Court of Nigeria (SCN), other judges at the various courts down the ladder, lawyers and stakeholders in the country, he accused Ariwola of abusing his power, citing particularly, his deliberate exclusion of Igbo judges from the apex court bench.
Stressing how the CJN possessed absolute power over the National Judicial Council (NJC), the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC), the National Judicial Institute (NJI), and the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee (LPPC), he regretted its misuse by the CJN in appointing judges and other judicial officials, as well as to control the budget of the third arm of government.
Citing a situation where the Supreme Court comprised only judges from the South West, South-South, North West with none from the South-East, he said such a situation was clearly antithetical to democratic principles and unhelpful to Nigeria’s diversity, adding that even the North-Central, where he came from had suffered the same fate, since Ariwola had refused to appoint his replacement, even when he was aware of his impending exit.
Accusing the CJN of using this power to his advantage and the detriment of the judiciary, he pointed out how ignoring the South East from the apex court, even though the zone was entitled to seats in it, he said the action was a direct threat to the principle of representation, which the judiciary must reflect, a situation he added had weakened public confidence in the judiciary.
His words: “To ensure justice and transparency in presidential appeals from the lower court, all geopolitical zones are required to participate in the hearing. It is therefore dangerous for democracy and equity for two entire regions to be left out in the decisions that will affect the generality of Nigerians. This is not what our laws envisaged. Justice Chima Centus Nweze died on July 29, 2023, Justice Sylvester Ngwuta, died on July 7, 2021, and since then, no appointment has been made to fill the vacuum.
“The South East no longer has any presence at the Supreme Court” he said, adding “it has been two years and seven months since the previous justice from the South East died and no appointment was made. Also, it was clear ab-initio that I will be leaving the court this day on attaining the statutory age of 70. It is then not in doubt that there has been sufficient time for suitable replacements to have been appointed. This is yet to occur. It is evident that the decision not to fill the vacancies in the court is deliberate. It is all about the absolute powers vested in the office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the responsible exercise of the same.”
Muhammad, who also revealed his personal experience as the next in command to Ariwola, before his retirement, stressed that the absolute powers the CJN enjoyed over the appointments in the NJC, FJSC, NJI, the LPPC, responsible for the appointment of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), could only breed corruption.
Regarding himself, he said his role as the next most senior justice of the apex court before his retirement, was no better than the ugly fate of a deputy governor who was not consulted by his principal over any decision.
“As chair of the NJC, FJSC, NJI and LPPC, appointments as council, board and committee members are at his pleasure. He neither confers with fellow justices nor seeks their counsel or input on any matter related to these bodies. He has both the final and the only say. The CJN has power to appoint 80 percent of members of the council and 60 percent of members of FJSC. The same applies to NJI and LPPC. Such enormous powers are effortlessly abused. This needs to change,” he said, calling for the reduction of the CJN’s powers.
Warning of how the continued denial of the existence of this threatening anomaly weakened effective judicial oversight in Nigeria, called for improved welfare of judicial officers, adding that beyond the issue of judicial officers’ salaries that had remained static for 15 years, what the judiciary die with its allocations in the budget ought to be scrutinised as well.
“Who is responsible for the expenditure? An unrelenting searchlight needs to be beamed to unravel how the sums are expended. President Muhammadu Buhari in 2016 ordered the forceful entry into the houses and the arrest of justices some of whom were serving at the apex court. Not done, in 2019 the government accosted, arrested and arraigned the incumbent Chief Justice before the Code of Conduct Tribunal for alleged underhand conduct. With his retirement apparently negotiated, he was eventually let off the hook.
“In 2022, in a letter signed by all the other justices of the Supreme Court, including the current Chief Justice, the aggrieved protested against the shabby treatment meted to them by the head of court and the Chief Registrar. At the centre of the friction was their welfare and the cavalier attitude of the Chief Registrar thereto. In the event, his lordship Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad disengaged ostensibly on grounds of ill-health.
“Now, it must be said, Chief Femi Falana is right that the safeguard in our appointment procedures against judicial appointments for improper motives is increasingly being compromised. Certainly, by Rule 8.3 of the Judicial Code of Conduct “any judge who takes advantage of his judicial office for personal gain or for gain by his or her relative or relation abuses the power vested in him!!!.
Regretting a situation where the Chief Registrar earned N1.2 million per month as against the take home N751,000 for the judges, he said: “That the unjust and embarrassing salary difference between the justices and the Chief Registrar still abides remains intriguing to say the least. Valedictory session after valedictory session lapses and challenges that should be nipped are restated to no avail. Why the silence and seeming contentment?”
He added: “A couple of years ago, appointment to the bench was strictly on merit. Sound knowledge of the law, integrity, honour, and hard work distinguished those who were elevated. Lobbying was unheard of. I never lobbied, not at any stage of my career, to secure any appointment or elevation. As much as possible the most qualified men and women were appointed. That can no longer be said about appointments to the bench.
“The judiciary must be uniquely above board. Appointments should not be polluted by political, selfish, and sectional interests. The place of merit, it must be urged, cannot be over-emphasised. Public perceptions of the judiciary have over the years become witheringly scornful and monstrously critical. It has been in the public space that court officials and judges are easily bribed by litigants to obviate delays and or obtain favourable judgments.”
“Recently, fresh allegations have been made that children and other relatives of serving and retired judges and justices are being appointed into judicial offices at the expense of more qualified candidates lacking in such privilege and backing. It is asserted that the process of appointment to judicial positions are deliberately conducted to give undue advantage to the ‘children, spouses, and mistresses’ of serving and retired judges and managers of judicial offices. At the Court of Appeal, it is also asserted, presiding Justices are now being appointed out of turn.”
“A number of respected senior members of the bar inter alia, citing the Ahmed Lawan, the former President of the Senate and Imo governorship appeals, claim that decisions of even the apex court have become unpredictable. It is difficult to understand how and where, by these decisions, the judicial pendulum swings. It was not so before, they contended.
“In some quarters the view is strongly held that filth and intrigues characterize the institution these days! Judges are said to be comfortable in companies they never would have kept in the past. It is being insinuated that some judicial officers even campaign for the politicians. It cannot be more damnifying! The judiciary I just retired from is way below the standard compared to when I joined. There must be urgent judicial reforms.”
On his part CJN, who spared no words in eulogising the retiring jurist while acknowledging the difficulties in the judiciary, including the fact that how the apex court now posted the lowest justices in its history (10 instead of 21), maintained that Muhammad would still be remembered for his intellectual prowess, regardless.
“With Justices Musa Dattijo leaving us today after the retirement of Hon. Justice Adamu Amina Augie a few weeks ago, we are now left with just 10 Justices on the Supreme Court Bench; being the lowest we have ever had in contemporary history of the Court.
“However, I can confidently assure all the litigant public that efforts are in top gear to get on board a sizable number of Justices to boost our rank and complement the tremendous effort we have been investing in the business of the Court. I am so emotionally overwhelmed, and at the same time, profusely exhilarated to personally witness this uncommon valedictory session.
“This is not because I have never witnessed or presided over valedictory sessions before; but for the fact that we are honouring a quintessential judicial icon with dazzling qualities and alluring stature who could, in one breath, be classified as a model of excellence that transcends the legal profession.
“My Lord Hon. Justice Musa Dattijo Muhammad in whose honour we assemble here today, is an epitome of jurisprudential finesse; an insuperable lion with an irrepressible voice in the temple of justice.”
For Diezani Alison-Madueke, there is nothing more to prove to anyone as God has finally fought her battle and restored her dignity, with here exoneration from allegation of massive looting on Nigeria during her years as Minister of Petroleum Resources.
Emerging from the Southwark Crown Court in London, where she was eventually exculpated from blames after many months of trial, the former Minister, who had been living in the UK since 2015, as a fugitive, having escaped the claws of the government of Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria’s former President, which had accused her of multiple cases of sleaze, she told reporters that everything would be kept in abeyance to enable her enjoy her freedom which had been denied for so long.
But before then, she attributed her acquittal on bribery charges which said had ended years of “unjust vilification,” to the handiwork of God while thanking those who stood by her during the trial period she described as “arduous” and “traumatic.”
The court had freed the once very powerful Minister, who ended up in the petroleum ministry after hitherto serving in different capacities of all six charges after hours of deliberation on Wednesday, after six months of trial, which began in January when the UK government charged her in August 2023 over an alleged £100,000 bribe.
Part of the prosecution in the UK court was that she accepted bribes in the form of luxury goods and use of high-level properties from industry figures in return for awarding multi-million-pound oil and gas contracts during her time in office.
But in her defence, the former Minister through her lawyers, told the jury that she had limited control over oil contract approvals during her time in office, as most decisions were made before reaching her desk.
After the court agreed with her, she told reporters: “I’m just thankful to God. It’s been a very, very arduous and long, almost 11 years. It’s been traumatic not just for me but for my family, for friends, for all those who have stayed and supported, for my 93-year-old mother in Port Harcourt, for my son, and for all those who love us, friends and family. We’re surrounded by friends here. So it has been a hard journey.
“But I tell you this, God will always do as God wills, and God will be God. God is not a man that he should lie. So, when he promises you something, he will see it through.
“It has been almost 11 years I’ve been here. I did my job to the best of my ability, but like I said, God is not a man that he should lie. God is God, and we thank him.”
Also, in a statement issued by Bolouere Opukiri, her representative, Alison-Madueke said “a decade of unrelenting and unjust vilification, condemnation, and scrutiny has finally concluded.
“I give thanks to Almighty God for His faithfulness and for the complete vindication I have received. I am grateful to my legal counsel for their diligence and to my family and friends for their steadfast support and encouragement throughout this period. I am profoundly relieved. My name has been cleared, and this ordeal has come to an end.”
Allison-Madueke said she would speak about the events of the past decade and her future plans “in due course” but, in the meantime, would focus on embracing what she described as the freedom she had been unjustly denied for many years.
Nigeria is sure to witness an impending doomsday sooner than later if the Federal government fails to take definite and decisive steps to arrest the current parlous state of the nation’s medical system.
Association of Medical Doctors (ARD), which dropped the warning, cited how Nigeria currently boasts of just 55,000 doctors to serve a population of more than 220 million people, warning that with the current paucity in its healthcare system, an impending doomsday was only a matter of time.
The doctors, who raised the alarm at the Ordinary General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the association, held at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital (FNPH), Yaba, Lagos, the doctors, among whom were mental health experts, also said the present situation was worsening access to psychiatric care and leaving millions of vulnerable Nigerians untreated.
Citing no fewer than 16,000 Nigerian doctors, who have emigrated in the last five years, had worsened an already dire manpower shortage in the country’s health sector, they warned that the sustained exodus of healthcare workers under the “Japa” syndrome had severely depleted the country’s mental health workforce, widened treatment gaps, increased the cost of care and placed enormous pressure on the few specialists remaining in the system.
Vanguard quoted Omoti Ernest, President of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), as saying that recent data showed that the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), had registered over 130,000 doctors but noted only about 55,000 are actively practicing within Nigeria.
Stressing that with a population exceeding 220 million, this translated to roughly one doctor for every 3,600 to 4,000 people, he added: “This ratio is far below the World Health Organisation’s recommended threshold of one doctor to about 600 people, highlighting the significant shortage of medical personnel and the strain on healthcare delivery.
“Many Nigerian-trained doctors have emigrated or are no longer engaged in active clinical practice, contributing to the country’s healthcare workforce shortage. The emigration of skilled professionals in search of better opportunities abroad has had a significant impact on Nigeria’s hospitals and healthcare workforce.
“Thousands of doctors and other healthcare professionals have left the country in recent years, leading to severe staff shortages, increased workload for those who remain with many suffering from burnout, longer waiting times for patients, and declining quality of care in many public hospitals.
“Rural and under-served communities have been particularly affected, as they already struggle with limited access to healthcare services. ’The reasons behind this migration include poor remuneration, inadequate working conditions, insecurity, limited opportunities for career advancement, and insufficient investment in healthcare infrastructure, among others.
“Many professionals are attracted by better pay, improved facilities, and more stable environments in countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States.”
‘What can be done’
To address the trend, he said the Federal Government should prioritise salaries and welfare packages for healthcare workers, invest more in modern medical equipment and hospital infrastructure, expand residency and specialist training opportunities, and create clear career progression pathways.
“Strengthening security, ensuring timely payment of wages, and providing incentives for professionals to work in under-served areas will also help retain talent. ’In addition, partnerships with the private sector and diaspora engagement programmes could encourage Nigerian healthcare professionals abroad to contribute their expertise and support development of the country’s healthcare system.”
Yesir Kareem, a Consultant Psychiatrist at the Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro, also lamented how Nigeria’s doctor-to-patient ratio had fallen to about one doctor for more than 10,000 patients, far below the World Health Organisation’s recommended ratio of one doctor to 600 people.
The consequences, he argued were particularly devastating for mental healthcare, he said, adding: Only about 55,000 doctors remain to serve a population of over 220 million Nigerians. More than 40 million Nigerians suffer from mental health disorders, yet about 85 per cent of them do not have access to mental healthcare services,” Kareem said.
He noted that Nigeria’s shortage of psychiatrists and other mental health specialists has reached alarming levels, warning that untreated mental illnesses contribute to family breakdowns, substance abuse, unemployment, delayed diagnosis and premature deaths.
“The economic consequences are equally devastating, with billions of dollars lost annually due to untreated mental health conditions. Over 94,000 doctors and nurses have left Nigeria since the Japa syndrome started some years ago due to poor remuneration and delayed salaries, competitive salaries in destination countries, overwhelming patient loads (1:10,000+), better work-life balance and conditions, and inadequate medical equipment & facilities.
He listed access to modern medical technology, limited career advancement opportunities, professional development and training, unsafe working conditions and long hours, unstable political and economic environment and insecurity and socioeconomic instability as factors encouraging migration of doctors from the country.
Vanguard, also quoted Veronica Nyamali, President of the Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria (APN) as saying that the manpower shortage was a crisis that had forced consultants to abandon higher-level responsibilities, such as research and specialist care, in order to fill gaps left by departing doctors.
She said: “There are gaps everywhere. Work that should be done by four psychiatrists is now being handled by one or two people. Consultants are increasingly forced to work at lower levels because the doctors they are supposed to supervise are no longer there.
“Those we train are leaving. Junior registrars, senior registrars, many complete their examinations and return abroad. The result is that we have shortages at every level of care. Nigeria has less than 150 psychiatrists. The dwindling number of specialists is making mental healthcare increasingly expensive and inaccessible, especially for patients in rural communities where psychiatrists are virtually non-existent.
“When specialists become scarce, services become more expensive. Access becomes difficult because patients must travel long distances to find care. This is contrary to the principle of universal health coverage, where mental health services should be available, affordable and accessible to everyone.
Lagos State Police Command, has thrown a security cordon around university communities in the state to prevent any form of mishap as a result of recent concerns that they could come under attack.
On Wednesday, Olohundare Jimoh, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, gave the hint while conducting an on-the-spot security assessment at Pan-Atlantic University, Lekki, following the circulation of a viral video showing two masked individuals emerging from a forest area adjoining the institution.
The visit, carried out alongside operational personnel of the command, was part of efforts to evaluate the security situation around the university and reassure students, staff and parents of measures being taken to ensure their safety.
The police boss, in a meeting with the university’s management while stressing the need to continually strengthen the institution’s security architecture to forestall potential threats, also advised on practical steps to enhance security within and around the campus, cautioning against actions that could inadvertently weaken existing security structures.
Emphasising the importance of adopting proactive security measures, particularly in the areas of perimeter protection, access control and collaboration with relevant security agencies, he said as part of efforts to boost security operations in the area, the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF), had deployed surveillance drones to support law enforcement activities around the university and neighbouring communities.
The measure facilitated by the Lagos State Government, is expected to enhance aerial surveillance, intelligence gathering and crime-prevention efforts within the axis, he said stating that the command was fully committed to protecting lives and property across the state.
He assured the management, staff, students and parents of Pan-Atlantic University of the police’s readiness to respond swiftly to security concerns and maintain a safe environment conducive to learning and other lawful activities, urging the institution to sustain close collaboration with security agencies and remain vigilant in addressing emerging security challenges.
“The Command remains committed to the protection of lives and property across Lagos State. The university community must support security efforts by promptly reporting suspicious activities. We are resolved to maintain peace, public safety and security across the state. We urge residents to remain security-conscious and provide credible, timely information to law enforcement agencies. Residents are also encouraged to make use of the Command’s emergency lines to report security-related incidents and suspicious movements.
The assessment followed heightened public concern generated by the viral video, with authorities moving swiftly to reassure the public and strengthen surveillance around the institution and its environs.
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