By Vivian Okejeme
Abuja
Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) yesterday called out the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration over the continued detention of a former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd), and the leader of Shi’ite Movement, El-Zakyzaky.
National President of the Association, Abubakar B. Mahmoud, stated this during a press briefing in Abuja to mark this year’s Democracy Day.
“The NBA is appalled at the continued detention of certain individuals in blatant disobedient to court orders. Among these individuals are Sheikh Ibrahim El Zakyzaky and his wife, and also Col. Sambo Dasuki. While we recognise the seriousness of the charges in which individuals were held, we nevertheless viewed their continued detention as unjustified and contrary to the express court orders. We call on the government to without further delays respect theses orders,” he said.
He further called for the termination of investigations against judges who were accused of corruption but have not been charged before the court since the past eight months.
“In the wake of the arrest and detention of certain judicial officers by the DSS, the NBA had taken the view that the judges affected should recluse themselves from judicial functions until the investigation and outcomes of those investigations were determined, we note that nearly eight months after those investigations were launched, some of the judges have not been prosecuted or charged before any court of law.
“This situation is completely unsatisfactory and unacceptable. The NBA calls on the government to terminate the investigation against those judges to enable them resume thier work as judicial officers.”
On the anti-corruption crusade of the government, the Bar noted that “efforts of anti-corruption agency are commendable. New anti-corruption strategy has been developed.”
The Bar, however, congratulated the Chief Justice of Nigeria CJN, Walter Samual Onnoghen, on his confirmation as the substantive CJN and further pledged its support towards the policies of the NJC.
