More than 500 lawyers invade Supreme Court, accused EFCC of officiously, 'impudently' undermining court orders, including breach of Yahaya Bello's fundamental rights
The Nigerian supreme Court was invaded by aggressive legal practitioners on Monday over what they have perceived to be an “illegal approach” taken by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against a former governor of Kogi, Yahaya Bello.
The Supreme Court was stormed by more than 500 lawyers, who protested that the anti-craft agency has been officiously undermining court order, including their recent action as was seen in the ongoing N80.2b fraud case of Yahaya Bello.
The legal professionals, in a statement by their group co-convener S.K Alewu, decried the actions of the Officers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, where they went flat against a court order to arrest the former governor.
Alewu insisted that Mr Bello’s fundamental human rights has been violated, attributing the reason to the weaknesses of the judiciary to prevent itself from becoming such a malleable tool to be used by outlaws of Nigeria’s rule of law.
Furthermore, the lawyers persuaded Nigeria’s Judicial Council and President Bola Tinubu to caution EFCC officials and give them a reorientation of the dos and don’ts of their duties to discourage disobedience of court orders.
“It has become pertinent again that we address well-meaning Nigerians on the current attacks on the Judiciary by the very institutions created by law to enforce and guarantee the sanctity of our judicial processes,” Alewu said.
“As young lawyers, we envisage a judiciary where justice is not only done but also seen to be manifestly done. It is in our patriotic quest to always pursue ventures that guarantee an independent judiciary that dispenses justice without fear nor Favour that we formed this civil society of lawyers.
“We are therefore perturbed that desperate politicians and corrupt elements in our polity are working very assiduously to bring the judiciary that sacrificed its all to guard its jurisdiction jealously under the military regime to public odium and opprobrium.
“It is more worrisome that even the very institutions that are created by law to enforce our laws have become willing tools in the hands of enemies of our rule of law and the judiciary to harangue our judges and bring the justice system to public ridicule.
“The current case between the EFCC and Gov. Yahaya is the most heinous of such instances. It is sickening that the commission will move to lay siege and even attempt to arrest the former governor of Kogi state despite being served a valid court order that restrains them from doing so and without vacating the said order.
“The events of the past few days is capable of eroding the many gains and national acclaim the commission recorded and enjoys from majority of Nigerians who sees the establishment of the commission as the greatest intervention to the endemic corruption that has rocked our public service and government institutions since the return of Nigeria to democracy in 1999.
“The only succour is that the current president of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a leader who gave his all to sustain our democracy. The President, at a point, became a victim of political witch hunt.
“We have submitted petitions to the Nigerian Judicial Council and Mr President asking that they use their good offices to call the EFCC to order and stop any form abuse and disobedience of court orders,” he enlightened.
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