The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola has warned Judges in the country against accepting gifts from corrupt people especially politicians and businessmen in order to avoid tarnishing their reputations.
He gave this warning while inaugurating the newly appointed judges of the National Industrial Court on Monday.
Justice Ariwoola revealed that Judges will definitely face the temptations of accepting juicy gifts from people especially politicians and businessmen when handling high-profile cases that have huge implications.
He however urged the judges to perform their duties according to the countries’ laws and the oath they swore.
He said “I am making it clear to you now that you must flee from such disguised danger. 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 per cent under public scrutiny, I can confidently tell you now that it has automatically risen to 100 per cent by virtue of this appointment.”
Justice Ariwoola charged the Judges to perform their duties to satisfy God and the people. He warned that they will be dealt with decisively by the laws of the country if they are found guilty of doing contrary to the oath they swore.
“As Judicial officers, you have a divine mandate on earth that you must discharge with unveiled honesty and sincerity. You must give a good account of yourselves to justify your appointment.”
“However, if you decide to do the contrary, the sledgehammer 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.”
The six new Judges inaugurated of the National Industrial Court are Justices Subilim Emmanuel Danjuma, Mohammad Adamu Hamza, Damachi-Onugba Joyce Agede, Hassan Mohammed Yakubu, Buhari Sami and Sanda Audu Yelwa.
