By Ayodele Oni
There are seven Judges of the Supreme Court that cannot travel to the United States, US, following a travel ban.
A retiring Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, disclosed that a travel ban imposed by the United States on the seven members of an Apex Court panel, followed what she described as a misinterpretation of a judgment delivered by the justices.
Justice Abba-Aji, who disclosed this in Abuja, said the travel restrictions against the justices were still in force.
Speaking at a valedictory session held in her honour at the Supreme Court, she described the restrictions as one of the inconveniences judicial officers sometimes have to endure in the course of upholding justice.
She added that such sacrifices were a small price to pay to preserve the integrity of the judiciary.
Justice Abba-Aji retires from the Supreme Court on November 7, having attained the mandatory retirement age of 70.
Reflecting on her years on the bench, she revealed thag her tenure had been marked by challenges that provided opportunities to uphold justice regardless of the consequences.
Although she did not disclose the judgment that prompted the US travel restrictions, she maintained that judicial officers must remain committed to justice even when their decisions attract personal consequences.
The retiring justice also recalled an incident in 2016 when she was attending a programme in Washington DC, United States.
She disclosed that she received a telephone call informing her that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, wanted her to respond to a petition filed against her in Lagos.
According to her, the petition led to repeated visits to the EFCC office, where she answered questions over corruption allegations she claimed she knew nothing about.
According to her, investigations eventually cleared her of all the allegations.
Justice Abba-Aji described the period as particularly difficult, saying damaging allegations had circulated publicly while her position in the judiciary prevented her from defending herself publicly.
She urged younger judges to uphold integrity and make justice their guiding principle.
She also advised serving judicial officers to discharge their responsibilities with humility and courage, stressing that the law was not merely a profession but a trust.
Earlier, the Chief Justice of Nigeria ,CJN, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, who presided over the valedictory session, congratulated Justice Abba-Aji on her service to the judiciary.
She commended the retiring justice for leaving the Supreme Court with an unblemished record, adding that her career in the judiciary and legal profession had provided an important example for women aspiring to serve on the bench.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, also commended Justice Abba-Aji for her contribution to the country’s anti-corruption framework.
He particularly highlighted her judgment which, according to him, led to the establishment of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).
He said the institutions have contributed to the Federal Government’s efforts to combat corruption.
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