Nigeria’s Body of Benchers (BoB) has fumed over the recent rating of Nigeria’s judiciary as one of the most corrupt institutions in the country by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
The Bench questioned the criteria used by the NBS in arriving at its conclusion amd dismissed the report.
In the report published by NBS in November, the agency had said it used data from various sources to arrive at its rating
However while reacting to.the report at an event in Abuja on Monday which also had the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun in attendance, chairman of the Bench, , Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, urged members to dismiss the report
“We need not be unduly perturbed by the unjustified, unverified and contentious data of corruption issued on the Nigerian Judiciary by the National Bureau of Statistics. It is unworthy of attention,” he said.
“I can attest to the fact that in the Nigerian judiciary are some of the finest characters and our best legal brains on whom no price tag can be attached,” Awomolo added.
He said Nigeria has some of the best judges in the world and should be accorded the ‘ highest honour, respect and dignity.’
He fumed at the ‘tarnishing of the image of the judiciary ‘ adding that “the image of the judiciary is too important to a democratic society.’
“Now is the time when everyone should be made to account and be responsible for what is attributable to him.”
Awomolo charged judges ‘to be bold, courageous and focused’ and uphold ‘the best values of the judiciary as an independent arm of government.’
He also noted that judges should deliver judgement without consideration for the personality of individuals involved and ‘where no one will be oppressed and where freedom and liberties of citizens are secured and protected.