Ayodele Olalere
A Non Governmental Organisation, NGO, Access to Justice (A2J) has warned that the arrest of the publisher of Sahara reporters, Omoyele Sowore, by men of the Department of Secret Service, DSS, inside the court room is a declaration of ‘ war’ on the judiciary by the executive.
The group, in a statement signed by Chiwendu Obierefu, condemned the actions of the DSS and the failure of the federal government to condemn what it described as ‘atrocious’ conduct of its agency.
According to the group, the interference with court proceedings by government operatives, may be the rehearsal of a more portentous line of action against courts in the near future.
It urged the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, and the National Judicial Council, NJC, to convene an urgent “Save Nigeria Judiciary” meeting of Judicial Officers in Nigeria.
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“The meeting should explore stronger, cogent and collegial ways of responding to both the escalating incidence of disrespect of the judicial branch of government and the depredation of the rule of law in Nigeria,” the statement stated.
The group also demanded the judicial bodies to develop a set of policies and directives, similar to the National Judicial Policy adopted by the NJC in 2016 following the night raids on Judges homes, which encourage and guide judicial responses to acts of affront, intimidation and disrespect to the courts.
It also emphasised that such policies and directives should declare that it would be an act of misconduct for a court to ‘fail, facing contempt of its orders and authority, to take decisions and actions to uphold its dignity and hold contemnors accountable for their actions.’
It advised Judges to be resolute in defending the Judiciary’s democratic role and constitutional authority alongside public faith in the judicial process by using its’ inherent contempt powers to deal with, and vigorously restrain contempt of judgments and orders.’