The Department of State Services (DSS) arrested three supreme court judges two days ago in the middle of the night on the ground of corruption and professional misconduct. There was an attempt to arrest a fourth Judge but was stopped by the River State Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike. According to DSS, a total sum of N270M was found in the homes of the arrested judges. Nigerians have also reacted strongly to the action.
So yesterday Governor Nyesom Wike attacked the Department of State Services (DSS) for the arrest of judges over alleged corruption.
He described the defence of its action by DSS as “deliberate misinformation and concocted stories to justify their unconstitutional assault on the nation’s judiciary”.
According to Gov. Wike, the DSS lacked the constitutional powers to be involved in the legal process to discipline a serving judicial official because “there is a legal process that must be followed”.
“The weak blackmail of the DSS will not lessen the crime they have committed against the Nigerian state by assaulting the judiciary. Their blackmail stories will not move me. They will concoct all kinds of stories to justify this undemocratic illegality perpetrated against the judiciary.
“It is really unfortunate that DSS would concoct a false defence that $2million (that is N900million) was found in the house of the judge. It is unfortunate that DSS is coming up with flimsy excuses."
Wike said DSS should leave corrupt judges for NJC to handle...as usual.
