Prior to the recent clampdown of Judges, the exchange of letters between the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Department of State Security Service, DSS, was on Monday evening, leaked to the public domain.
This came as mixed reactions continue to trail the arrest and investigation of 15 Judges nationwide, for alleged corruption, by the DSS.
It was gathered, that investigations into the Judges started as far back as February, 2016.
The leaked correspondence exclusively obtained by Thisday Newspaper, shows that the National Judicial Council, NJC, rejected the investigation into the Judiciary, citing separation of powers, and rule of law.
The NJC also informed the DSS, that it was not amenable to “invitations being extended to Judicial Officers, by Departments and Agencies of government for any reason”.
Preparatory to their arrests, the DSS had on October 5, obtained search warrants from a Magistrate Court, in Abuja, for Justices Nnamdi Dimgba, Sylvester Nwali Ngwuta, A.A. Ademola, and John Inyang Okoro.
In one letter, dated April 19, 2016, the NJC, through its Secretary, Danladi Halilu, on behalf of the CJN, wrote to the DSS, acknowledging its letter titled, Re: Corrupt Practices of Justice Pindiga, which was dated February, 26, 2016.
In the said letter, the NJC wrote: “Reference your petition dated 26th February, 2016, to the Hon. President of the Court of Appeal, and copied to the Honourable, the Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman of the Nigerian Judicial Council, Hon. Justice Mahmud Mohammed, GCON, against Hon. Justice M.A. Pindiga, of the High Court of Justice, Gombe State, on the above subject matter.
“I have been directed to inform you that your complaint has not complied with the extant Judicial Discipline Regulation 2014 of the Council, as it was not accompanied with a verifying affidavit, deposed to by you, before a court of record.
“In view of the forgoing, you may wish to comply, please.”
In yet another letter to the Director General, DG, DSS, dated August 29, 2016, and signed this time by the CJN, the NJC, acknowledged receipt of a petition dated August 5, 2016, on corrupt practices, and professional misconduct, by Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court.
It further informed the DSS DG, that action was being taken on the petition.
Then in a letter, dated September 7, 2016, titled:
“Re: Corrupt Practices of Justice Pindiga”, which was signed by the Secretary of the NJC, the Council adopted a more dismissive tone, saying that its investigation had not found Justice Pindiga wanting, that would warrant his sanction.
It stated: “Reference your Petition No. DGSS.71/3161, dated February 26, 2016, to the Honourable, the Chief Justice of Nigerian and Chairman of the National Judicial Council, Hon. Justice Mahmud Mohammed, GCON, against the Hon. Justice M.A. Pindiga, of the High Court of Justice, Gombe State, on the above subject matter.
“At its meeting of 1st and 2nd of June 2016, Council constituted a Fact Finding Committee, comprising its members under the Chairmanship of Hon. B.A. Adejumo, OFR, President of the National Industrial Court, to investigate the allegations contained in your petition, among others.
“At its meeting which held on the 14th and 15th of July 2015, Council considered and deliberated extensively on the report, and noted that the Officer that represented your office at the Investigative Committee, averred that your office could not conduct full investigation of the petition to obtain hard facts to support the preliminary report, as allegedly, your organisation was directed by the Honourable, the Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman of the National Judicial Council, to stay further action on the matter, to allow the National Judicial Council look into it.
“At the end of deliberation, Council found that the claim by your organisation is not correct, as the Honourable, the Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman of the National Judicial Council, Hon. Mahmud Mohammed, GCON, did not stop your office from conducting full investigation, so as to obtain hard facts to support preliminary findings, and proof of allegations, without inviting Hon. Justice Pindiga to your office, having done so when he was serving as the Chairman of the Election Petition Tribunal.
“Consequently, in the absence of any patent evidence to substantiate the allegations contained in your petition against the Judicial Officer, Council was unable to find any act of misconduct to warrant His Lordship being sanctioned.
“Council further directed that, while it is appreciative of the wonderful working relationship between the Judiciary and other Arms of Government, in fidelity with the Principles of Separation of Powers, and Rule of Law, it is not amenable to invitations being extended to Judicial Officers, by Departments and Agencies of government for any reason.”
The Council’s letter, elicited a swift and angry response on September 14, 2016, from the DSS, which first reprimanded the NJC, for having the temerity to address the DG of the DSS, Mr. L.M. Daura, by his name, in its letter of September 7.
Signed by Mr. Ahmed Ahmad on behalf of the DG, the DSS made it abundantly clear, that the NJC’s letter should have been addressed to the “Director-General, Department of State Services, simpliciter”, and all correspondence should henceforth bear the correct nomenclature, and address of the DG, DSS.
After letting off steam over the correct nomenclature to be used for the DG, DSS, the letter stated: “I am further directed to note paragraph 5 of your letter, in which it was stated that the “Council is not amenable to invitations being extended by Departments and Agencies of government for any reason”, and to observe that if this is strictly adhered to, it would constitute a serious obstacle on the path of Agencies of government, saddled with the responsibilities of carrying out, or conducting investigation into any criminal act by the Judicial Officers concerned.”
The letter went on to remind the Council, that under the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution, “only the President, Vice President, and sitting Governors, and their Deputies, are conferred with immunity”.
“Even then, this immunity does not exempt them from criminal, or security investigation,” it noted.
It said: “In view of the foregoing, and the fact that Council has concluded action on the Pindinga case, I further directed to humbly request you to direct Justice Mu’azu Pindiga, to report to the National Headquarters of the Department of State Service, to see the Director Operations on 15th September, 2016, at 11:00 hours unfailingly.”
Responding on the day Pindiga was supposed to appear at the DSS, the Secretary of the NJC, wrote to the DSS, reminding it that its manner of address in the letter of September 7, in which it used Daura’s name and his designation was not disrespectful, nor was it unusual, and that the council had in the past, written similar official letters to “Mr. President, Senate President, Hon. Ministers, State Governors, and Heads of Government Departments, Agencies, and Institutions, in similar manner, by addressing same in their names and designations as well”.
It stated however, that the Council had noted the DSS’ observations, and would henceforth address all correspondence to the DG, DSS.
“Therefore, all the observations contained in the letter aforesaid, will be presented before Council at its next meeting, scheduled for 28th and 29th September, 2016, and the outcome of which will be communicated to your office, instant”.
Ostensibly, the DSS was believed to have written another letter to the NJC, requesting for the records of proceedings of deliberations, and or decision of the Council, but this was turned down by the Council in a letter dated October 7, 2016, thus prompting the DSS to move in to arrest the Judges under its watch.
http://www.post-nigeria.com/nigerians-in-total-shock-as-buharis-secret-letters-to-judges-leak/
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