The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Tanko Mohammed, on Tuesday revealed that the judiciary handled over 756 corrupt cases between 2020 and 2021 and made 1,144 convictions between January to November 2021.
The CJN at the third National Summit on Diminishing Corruption in the Public Sector, held in Abuja, on Tuesday, stated “between 2020 and 2021, over 756 corrupt cases were handled in the country.
“From January to November this year, 1,144 suspects were convicted of various corruption offences and financial crimes including hundreds of millions of cash forfeitures, alongside eight aircraft, seven fuel stations, among others.”
The CJN advocated the need for the autonomy of the judiciary. He emphasized that for any nation to prosper, the judiciary must remain independent and insulated from interference (financial or otherwise).
Justice Tanko Mohammed maintained that the judges must dispense justice without fear or favour and in line with the knowledge and understanding of the law.
The CJN reiterated his warning to judges in the country to refrain from granting incessant ex-parte orders so as not to project the judiciary in a bad light.