A human rights lawyer and activist, Barr. Christopher Chidera Tuesday called for the sanction of appeal court judges over the abuse of ex parte order to oppress Nigerians.
The legal practitioner insisted that if Justice Inyang Ekwo can face sanctions for his misconduct, then the Appeal Court justices who upheld the illicit ex parte decree proscribing Indigenous People of Biafra ( IPOB) issued by the late Justice Kafarati must also be held accountable.
In a statement made available to journalists in Abuja, he insisted: ” No one is above the law, not even those who wear judicial robes.
He noted the reckless issuance of ex parte orders without notice to the opposing party, as a dangerous tool in the hands of corrupt judges who use them as weapons of oppression, manipulation, and political vendetta.
The abuse of ex parte orders in Nigeria’s judicial system Chidera noted further has become a festering wound that threatens the very foundation of justice, fairness, and the rule of law.
The lawyer called on the relevant authorities in the judiciary to purged those who treat ex parte orders as tools for personal enrichment or political expediency and restore public confidence in the courts.
The statement reads further: “I urge the National Judicial Council, under Justice Kekere-Ekun’s leadership, to intensify its efforts to discipline erring judges and restore public confidence in the courts.
“I commend the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, for her bold stance against the malicious use of ex parte orders. Her zero-tolerance policy for corruption and her warnings against frivolous ex parte orders, as articulated during her Senate confirmation and subsequent public statements, are a beacon of hope for a judiciary in dire need of reform. Justice Kekere-Ekun’s leadership has already borne fruit, as evidenced by the suspension of corrupt judges like Justice Inyang Ekwo, whose actions have tarnished the judiciary’s image.
“ If Ekwo can face sanctions for his misconduct, then the Appeal Court justices who upheld the illicit ex parte decree issued by the late Justice Kafarati must also be held accountable. No one is above the law—not even those who wear judicial robes.
“The abuse of ex parte orders is not a mere procedural flaw; it is a systemic menace that empowers corrupt judges to subvert justice, silence dissent, and perpetuate state-sponsored oppression. I call on fellow Nigerian lawyers—citizens, civil society, the media, and the international legal community—to demand an end to this judicial tyranny.
“The judiciary must be purged of those who treat ex parte orders as tools for personal enrichment or political expediency. I urge the National Judicial Council, under Justice Kekere-Ekun’s leadership, to intensify its efforts to discipline erring judges and restore public confidence in the courts.
“The dangers of unregulated ex parte orders are manifold. They breed unfairness by denying the affected party the fundamental right to be heard, creating a one-sided judicial process that undermines the principles of equity and transparency. Such orders open the door to abuse, allowing corrupt judges to issue rulings based on incomplete or manipulated information, often in service of powerful interests or personal gain.
“When judges issue ex parte orders without rigorous scrutiny or adherence to legal standards, they transform the courts from bastions of justice into instruments of oppression.”
He noted that the Nigerian judiciary must rise as the true last hope of the common man, not a playground for corrupt judges and their political patrons.
Chidera recounted how Late Justice Abdul Kafarati proscribed IPOB based on a flimsy ex parte decree issued without proof of evidence in blatant contravention of Nigeria’s Constitution.
“The case of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, exemplifies this travesty.
“The Federal High Court, in a ruling by Justice B.F.M. Nyako on March 1, 2017 (Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CR/383/15), explicitly declared IPOB neither unlawful nor proscribed, stating: “The prosecution has not placed any evidence in the proof of evidence to show that the society Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) is an unlawful or proscribed society.”
“This judgment remains unappealed and binding. Yet, in a shocking display of judicial corruption, the Buhari-led administration, unwilling to accept this lawful verdict, resorted to a backdoor ex parte order from the late Justice Abdul Kafarati to proscribe IPOB.
“This was not justice—it was a deliberate perversion of the rule of law, achieved through secrecy and manipulation to criminalize the activities of a peaceful movement,” the statement added.