Arrest of Judges: Buhari should apologise to Nigerians – ex-OMATA chair
Alphonsus Nweze
Former President General of the defunct Onitsha Amalgamated Traders Association (OMATA), Chief Ozo Anaekwe, has asked President Mohammed Buhari to tender unreserved apology to Nigerians and the National Judicial Council (NJC), for the embarrassment caused the country by the Directorate of State Security (DSS) arrest and detention of some judges.
Chief Anaekwe in an exclusive interview with the Daily Times yesterday said the arrest and detention of the judges was the height of impunity and tyranny by President Buhari’s regime since he assumed power about a year and half ago.
Anaekwe also asked the President to immediately halt the continued arrest of Judges by the DSS in the best interest of rule of law and separation of powers.
Nigerians woke up last weekend to hear to their chagrin that the DSS operatives moved into the houses of some judges in various parts of the country dead in night, arrested and took them away for detention.
This was greeted by widespread condemnation by various segments of Nigeria, which incidentally led to their release, although more judges were said to have been arrested.
But Anaekwe said that the commando style of arrest was typical of Buhari, saying that in 1983 as a Military Head of State, he sent some operatives with Israeli mercenaries who crated the influential politician in Second Republic, Alhaji Umaru Dikko, to bring him to Nigeria to answer charges of corruption until they were stopped by British Security operatives at Heathrow Airport in London.
He then wondered how Buhari still displayed this military and dictatorial tendencies, having sought the office of the President for several years, and warned that the way he displays raw power, he may even arrest foreign dignitaries in due course.
“If he succeeds in destroying the integrity of judiciary, then the only option for Nigeria is to disintegrate because judiciary is the only thing that holds us together. It is court that defends of the poor, the oppressed and even the rich. The action is unfortunate and condemnable” Anaekwe said.
The ex-OMATA boss said he was not holding brief for the judges but stated that due process ought to have been followed in fighting corruption, arguing that DSS was not empowered by any law in Nigeria to fight corruption.
He commended the Chief Justice of the Federation and the National President of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) for their position and total condemnation of the action.
Anaekwe said that this brings to fore the need to remunerate Nigerian judges well to insulate them from corrupt practices, saying that if a Major-General in Nigeria Army can save money through his legitimate earnings to buy a house in Dubai, I don’t see why Nigerian judges cannot be paid well to buy houses in Abuja or Lagos or any part of this country.
