Senate to probe judges’ arrest

Senator Bukola Saraki, Senate President

The Senate on Wednesday mandated its Committee on Judiciary , Human Rights and Legal Matters to investigate the purported arrest of six judges by the Department of State Security (DSS).

This followed the request by the committee to invite the judges for clearer insight on the issue.

Chairman of the committee, Sen. David Umaru, had on a point-of-order during plenary said that it was necessary to invite the judges to provide answers to certain questions from the senate.

“By virtue of the 1999 Constitution as amended and Order 96, Rule 37 of our Rules, the powers of this committee to oversight the Judiciary and its powers include judicial matters and judges.

“I am bringing this to the attention of the Senate so that we can take the permission to enable us conduct proper oversight on this matter and invite the justices.

“This is to enable us to interact with them in order to conduct proper oversight as we are enjoined by the provision of our rules and the 1999 Constitution,” he said.

In his response, President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, gave the committee permission to proceed with the oversight function as they had already been empowered by the rules.

“You do not need to come to us; you have your powers under the oversight and you should be able use the powers and do whatever you deem necessary.

“So, do your job in line with your powers,” Saraki said.

Operatives of the DSS had in a sting operation on Oct. 8, arrested six justices who were alleged to be corrupt.

The judges are John Okoro and Sylvester Nguta of the Supreme Court and a former Chief Judge of Enugu State, Innocent Umezulike.

Others are Nnamdi Dimgba and Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, Abuja; Kabiru Auta, from Kano judiciary and Muazu Pindiga of Federal High Court, Gombe.

The National Judicial Council (NJC) had on Thursday described the arrest of the judges as threat to democracy and to the independence of the judiciary.

It had insisted that the arrest was an attempt to humiliate, intimidate, denigrate and cow the judiciary.

Comments

Pope not involved in Colombian peace deal- Vatican

Pope Francis Pope Francis has turned down a request to play a role in the peace deal between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebel group. The Vatican in a statement issued on Wednesday in in Vatican City said that an invitation was sent to his Holiness in early August to appoint a representative to participate in the committee that selected the judges for the talks. The statement said that though Pope Francis supported the peace process, he, however, reiterated that he would not get involved in Colombian peace deal. It said that Pope was praying for the enlightenment of the hearts and minds of those who were called to promote the common good of the Colombian nation. A deal was announced last week, putting an end to five decades of internal conflict between government forces and the FARC rebels. The agreement, which needed to be ratified through a referendum in Oct. 2, would entail setting up a special court to grant amnesties or pu...

Houthis Claim Attack on Central Israel in Response to Gaza ‘Massacres’

The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has taken a concerning regional turn as the Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed responsibility for an attack on central Israel. The group announced this as part of their escalating response to what they describe as "massacres" in Gaza amid the Israeli military’s operations in the strip. Details of the Attack The Houthis, a Shiite militant group with ties to Iran, declared that they launched missile and drone strikes targeting Israel. While the exact impact of these attacks remains unclear, reports suggest that Israel’s defense systems intercepted several threats over its airspace. This marks a significant escalation as the Houthis widen their involvement in the conflict beyond their typical operations within Yemen and neighboring Saudi Arabia. The Houthis’ Justification In their statement, the Houthis framed the attack as retaliation for Israel’s military actions in Gaza, which they characterized as indiscriminate bombings resultin...

Fall of Assad is a Blow to Russia's Prestige

The potential fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a long-standing ally of Russia, would mark a turning point in Moscow’s global influence, particularly in the Middle East. Steve Rosenberg’s analysis underscores the profound implications for Russia, which has invested heavily—both militarily and politically—in ensuring Assad’s survival over the past decade. This article delves into why Assad’s downfall would strike at the core of Russian prestige and what it could mean for the broader geopolitical landscape. Russia's Strategic Commitment to Syria Since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Russia has been a staunch supporter of Assad's regime. In 2015, Moscow launched a military intervention that proved decisive in stabilizing Assad’s hold on power. This intervention solidified Russia's role as a key power broker in the Middle East and demonstrated its willingness to project military power far beyond its borders. Syria is not just an ally for Russia; it is a...

Global Naija Info

Search This Blog