Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, has advised the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to refrain from filing unsubstantiated petitions against judges, pointing out that a significant number of corruption allegations lack factual basis.
Kekere-Ekun made the assertion in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media, Tobi Soniyi, on Tuesday.
The CJN, while responding to calls from members of the NBA Bar and Bench Forum for greater protection for judicial officers, also urged lawyers to defend the integrity of the Nigerian judiciary rather than disparage it.
She said “some people write petitions against judges simply to intimidate them.”
According to Kekere-Ekun, judges frequently endure the distress of investigations, only to be exonerated when no wrongdoing is substantiated.
Despite this concern, she urged individuals with legitimate grievances against judges to direct them through the appropriate channels at the National Judicial Council (NJC).
“Anyone accusing judges of corruption must support the allegation with clear and credible evidence.”
She also expressed disappointment over the NBA’s silence in the face of frivolous allegations against judges.
The CJN further criticized lawyers who appear on television to criticize judges without first reading court judgments to understand the basis of the decisions.
She urged senior counsel to guide young lawyers, promoting discipline and professionalism in the legal field.
Mr. Richard Ahonaruogho, the Chairman of the NBA Bar and Bench Forum, echoed the CJN’s concerns, advising the NJC to screen petitions against judges and discard frivolous ones to avoid wasting the council’s time.
Ahonaruogho proposed imposing significant costs on those filing frivolous petitions to serve as a deterrence and sought the CJN’s support in promoting mutual respect between lawyers and judges.
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