Lawyers Will Not Attend Court Sessions This week In Nigeria

 On Saturday, October 8, 2016, DSS operatives raided the houses of four judges in Abuja.

Governor Nyesom Wike stopped the arrest of a Federal High Court judge around 1:00 am on Saturday, in Rivers state.

Now the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) called on President Buhari to order the DSS to release the judges, condemning the actions of the security agency, saying it is an interference on the independence of the judiciary in the Nation.

All lawyers will not attend court sessions next week from Monday, October 10 to Friday, October 14, 2016.

The group also called for the matter to be investigated by the Federal Government, adding that the officers involved should be punished.

According to the spokesman for Legal Defence and Assistance Project (LEDAP), Chino Obiagwu, “It is to the detriment of the Bar and Bench in Nigeria for the security agencies to make spurious allegations and illegally try judges in the pages of newspapers.

“It raises wrong and unjustified public perception of the justice system, and impugns on public confidence in justice and governance.”

“It was wrong to execute improperly issued and illegally executed search warrants at night on judges, and in any event, without prior recourse to the head of the judiciary.

“The constitutional principle of separation of powers is sacrosanct and once eroded, will drive Nigeria to a tyranny.”

The DSS, in a statement said the judges are being investigated for corruption, adding that various incriminating documents and money were recovered from their homes during the raids.