Chief Justice Unperturbed With PMB's Flaunting Of Orders

Amidst speculation that Justice Mahmud Mohammed, the chief justice of Nigeria had fallen out with President Muhammadu Buhari over the continued detention of some persons, a source close to the chief justice has denied the claim.

Courts of competent jurisdictions have ordered the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the director of Radio Biafra and Sambo Dasuki, the former national security adviser but their continued detention has raised issues concerning the extent to which the president is ready to comply with court orders.

Justice Mahmud Mohammed

Kanu was detained on charges of treason and other related offences over his involvement in the agitation for an independent Biafra state while Dasuki was detained due to the arms deal scandal and the misappropriation of fund.

Vanguard reports that a source close to Mohammed said on Wednesday, January 13 that although there were concern among judges that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was allowed to detain persons in spite of court orders, still the chief justice was furious with judges who reportedly allowed top government officials to loot the treasury by providing injunctions that were not in the interest of the people thereby making it difficult to bring them to justice.

The senior official said: "I don't think that the CJN has issued any statement on any court order relating to the investigation of the arms cash, individuals or groups since he believes that the courts are well able to discharge their duties as enshrined in the laws of Nigeria.

"Again, the thinking in the judiciary seems to be that some judges misused their offices to encourage some corrupt key government functionaries to slip away to foreign land with huge public funds under the guise of seeking avant-garde medicare.

"If the question may be asked, was it the CJN that ordered those judges to work against the interest of Nigeria by granting frivolous orders that enabled corrupt Nigerian public officers to make away with public funds?

"Let it be known that the CJN does not and will never encourage any form of misdeed having taken the oath of office to remain incorruptible, just and firm in the discharge of his duties to Nigeria and its people.

"I can tell you that the CJN is aware of the frivolous orders being issued by some judges and he cannot, therefore, sympathise with people who threw their integrity to the winds when they should have done the right thing at the right time."

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