Nigeria’s judicial system reeks of sleaze, says Gombe govt

CP deploys over 2,000 police to flashpoints

GOMBE State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Zubair Umar, has lamented the nation’s judicial system as reeking of corruption and other vices.

Addressing newsmen yesterday in Gombe, Zubair said corruption in the sector was all- encompassing. Frowning on the slow pace of justice dispensation in the country, he threw his weight behind the clamour for independence of the judiciary as one of the vital conditions for a corruptfree judiciary.

Zubair reiterated the need to sanitise the judicial system by ridden it of bad eggs.

On prisons in Gombe, he noted that the conditions are appalling, adding: “They are congested due to upsurge in crime.”

But he lauded the state’s judicial system in justice dispensation. “The only minus is lack of facilities, which the government will soon address through the construction of High Court complex.”

MEANWHILE, the police command had deployed over 2,000 policemen to maintain peaceful Eid el- fitri celebration.

The Commissioner of Police ( CP), Ishola Babaita, said most of the policemen would be at the common flashpoints across the 11 local councils of the state.

He told The Guardian: “My main essence in this state is to ensure 101 per cent crime- free situation. Criminals would have no haven in Gombe while I remain the CP here.

“I shall deploy everything to flush bad elements out of here. God willing, we shall all enjoy better and blissful Sallah in the state. The only people that will find me pleasant are the innocent citizenry and, of course, the repentant law breakers.”

Warning his officers and men to see the state from his light and that of Governor Muhammad Yahaya, the police boss promised to rid the state of kidnappers, armed robbers, drug addicts and social vices inimical to societal development.

“I shall not hesitate to show any errant policeman the way out, especially those tainting the image of the force,” he said.