How Juicy, Irresistible Gifts Can Lead To Your Downfall –  CJN Admonished New Justices

By Ayodele Oni

The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola has told Judges in the country that the tendency of every litigant having cases before them is to lure them with juicy and irresistible gifts.

The CJN explained that corrupt people especially politicians and business men will always try as much as possible to sway justice in their favour and hence they lure Judges with offers.

Justice Ariwoola made the remarks on Monday in Abuja while inaugurating six newly appointed Judges for the National Industrial Court.

He said that many high profile cases in company of irresistible gifts would definitely come before Judges in the course of discharging their duties especially when they involve mouth-watery financial aid business transactions.

“I am making it clear to you now that you must flee from such disguised danger.”

The six new Judges inaugurated are Justices Subilim Emmanuel Danjuma, Mohammad Adamu Hamza,  Damachi-Onugba Joyce Agede, Hassan Mohammed Yakubu, Buhari Sami and Sanda Audu Yelwa.

The CJN told Judicial officers ” you must, against all odds, conduct your affairs within the ambit of the law and the oath that has just been administered on you.

” If you were hitherto 50 percent under public scrutiny, I can confidently tell you now that it has automatically risen to 100 percent by virtue of this your appointment.

“It absolutely takes nothing to join the crowd but it takes quite a lot to stand alone with good conscience.”

The CJN charged the new Judges to fasten their belts and roll up their sleeves to face the challenges head- on adding that they must double their pace to catch up with expectations of litigants.

“As Judicial officers, you have a divine mandate on earth that you must discharge with with unveiled honesty and sincerity.

“You must give good account of yourselves to justify your appointment. However, if you decide to do the contrary, the sledge hammer will, without hesitation, descend heavily on you.

“No judicial officers at any level of our Courts will be allowed to drag the reputation of the Nigerian Judiciary into the mud. We cannot come this far to fail.

“Take heed of this admonition by working rightly towards occupying an enviable space in the annals of the Nigerian Judiciary.