'We won’t ask Nigerian judges accused of corruption to step aside' - NJC to NBA

The National Judicial Council has said that it will not ask the judges accused of corrupt practices to step down as it has no powers to do so.



The NJC stated this on Friday in response to the demand by the President of the Nigeria Bar Association, Abubakar Mahmoud, that the seven judges arrested for corruption last week be asked to step down pending when they are cleared or found guilty in court.

In its response signed by its acting director of information, Soji Oye, the NJC said Mr. Mahmoud’s advice “is unacceptable to the NJC; as it breaches the 2014 Revised Judicial Discipline Regulations formulated by NJC pursuant to Section 160 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended.

The NJC also said Mr. Mahmoud was present when it took an earlier position condemning the raid of the judges’ homes by the State Security Service (SSS) a fortnight ago.