Judiciary victim of corruption claims – Ex-CJ Auta
The immediate past Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta (rtd), has said that the judiciary especially the judges have become victims of corruption allegations in the country.
Auta, while speaking at the celebration of excellence and award conferred on him by Society Watch Media Ltd (SWML) in Abuja, said because judges were barred from speaking to the press, most of the corruption allegations levelled against them often became sustainable.
The former chief judge said corruption perception about judges was becoming acceptable because the people believed whatever they read in the media without verification.
Auta said there was no country and sector devoid of corruption in the world, adding that it was only the magnitude it was practiced that differed.
He said that the country was faced with many challenges and problems ranging from corruption, kidnapping, ritual killings, lack of infrastructural development, favouritism, nepotism and religious crises.
“At the root of these challenges is leadership; what we have been lacking in Nigeria is good and purposeful, nationalistic and patriotic leaders.
He called on Nigerians to pray for President Muhammadu Buhari that whatever he was doing would be of benefit to Nigerians.
He also called for the recruitment of more policemen to ensure adequate security for the country.
According to him, the current insecurity ravaging the country necessitated the need to employ more police personnel that would be equipped and adequately funded.
The former CJ said the current figure of policemen in the country was inadequate to provide security for over 200 million Nigerians.
The Chief Executive Officer of SWML, Balogun Michael, in his remark, said the challenges bedevilling the country was outright lack of focus and good leadership.
“Our problem is not corruption as we are made to believe, but leadership because a good and purposeful leader will know that stealing our common resources is a sin against God,” he said.