By Ifeanyi Chijioke
October 13, 2016
I am not mistaken, we all know that Nigeria is a citadel of corruption, fantastically corrupt country, even the former British leader; David Cameron saw it and quoted it. This contraption is corrupt to the extent that without being corrupt, you cannot thrive or succeed in Nigeria. Hence her trademark is corruption; she is now trying to infect the Community Court of Justice. My purpose of writing this piece is to raise alarm and arm ECOWAS Court against the contagious corrupt Nigeria. Anything Nigeria comes in contact with gets corrupted; a virus that must be repelled.
Since the illegal arrest of Nnamdi Kanu that occurred last year, corruption has been flying in colors and up till this moment Nnamdi Kanu could not be tried due to corruption. The courts that succeeded to try the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra were not respected; defining the depth of corruption in Nigeria. As a result of corruption, Nigeria produced a prisoner of conscience in democracy.
Nnamdi Kanu’s case proved complex and Nigerian judiciary unable to handle the matter due to the interest of the executive arm. Justice is clear and in law, it must been seen as it is dispensed, this has proved decisive that the executive arm of Nigeria found it hot trying to corruptly try the Leader of Indigenous People of Biafra. There is today a legal gridlock in Nnamdi Kanu’s case due to his sustained anti-corruption war against corrupt Buhari who has been fighting his enemies and never corruption.
The trial of Nnamdi Kanu has witnessed two resignations, the first judge resigned as a result of contempt and subsequent appeal by the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra that he has no confidence in Nigerian courts, leading to the withdrawal of the first trial judge who had released and acquitted him but strangely found the same man in his court, consequently, his order was not obeyed by Buhari.
The second trial judge was handpicked by Buhari to serve as a puppet, while Justice Tsoho allowed Buhari to dictate to him, legal ethics were abused. Ruling and counter-ruling in the same court and on the same litigant; frivolous reasons for denial of bail and recklessness summed up the proceedings of the court. The once sacred institution was profaned and corruption thrived, leaving no space for justice. The Nigerian judiciary was exposed and everything came down crashing against the earth; there is no way justice can dispense because Buhari has murdered the process.
In his maiden media chat, Buhari made prejudicial statements and stood on them, he told the whole world that he would not release Nnamdi Kanu notwithstanding the position of the court. He further stated that bail will not be granted to him, and criminalized the possession of two passports, a move that unleashed the dictator in him.
These are least of things that happened and made open by the actor; corruption is indeed fantastic in this contraption called Nigeria. I would not mention everything Buhari’s Aide told me when I spoke to him through IPOB national coordinator; he said “We won’t allow any court to release your leader, we are not holding him, and we only want him to negotiate with us” and when I reminded him the supremacy of the law, he replied “In Nigeria, we have a culture”.
These are least of things that happened and made open by the actor; corruption is indeed fantastic in this contraption called Nigeria. I would not mention everything Buhari’s Aide told me when I spoke to him through IPOB national coordinator; he said “We won’t allow any court to release your leader, we are not holding him, and we only want him to negotiate with us” and when I reminded him the supremacy of the law, he replied “In Nigeria, we have a culture”.
Taking this matter to ECOWAS court is overdue; I was once told that in history, the Justices of ECOWAS court had never failed. I nurse no fear because this is a court Buhari cannot control or influence; neither would he arrest the Judges for embracing justice. Nigerian judiciary can no longer handle this matter because the involvement of Buhari has destroyed the independence of the judiciary and left it vulnerable to corruption. The Nigerian Judges must dance to the tune of Buhari or risk arrest and threats of various kinds. Nigerian courts have been compromised and justice can no longer have its way; a neutral atmosphere beyond the grip of corruption must come in to do justice and that is the only way justice can breathe.
There is now a perceived readiness by ECOWAS court to impartially hear the case brought before it; having given Nigeria the chance to defend herself and explain the legality of Nnamdi Kanu’s incarceration for a year, it is clear that they have nothing to explain and a political prisoner has nothing hanging about his neck. Nigeria has failed and seems to be ashamed of coming before ECOWAS court to defend herself or her actions as their plea that ECOWAS court has no jurisdiction to entertain the case was shunned.
Corruption will definitely fight back and it is fighting ECOWAS court right now, the last time the court sat for the case to be heard, there was a deliberate move to frustrate the court and lure it into corruption. Nigeria must have lobbied and tried to corrupt the Justices of ECOWAS court and when it probably failed, there is now a tactical approach to further her corrupt dealings. Having come in contact with ECOWAS court, there is an inevitable reaction which is to corrupt the court, this is the state of the virus called Nigeria.
Instead of come to the court and defend her actions, they wrote to the honorable court that they have a case in Kaduna, this is the symptom of corruption in question. There is a move to frustrate and delay the court while they work relentlessly to influence the case; but the bad news is, ECOWAS is not a place the Judges can be arrested, threatened or bought. Here is the end of the road and justice must prevail once and for all; the sanctity of the court must prevail against all odds.
Corruption will fight but it is the call of the people to decide who wins the battle; ECOWAS court has made a move that shows it is beyond the grip or immune against corruption; it is high time Nigeria admitted that justice is now inevitable. It cannot be stopped and neither will it be delayed again, as my father acted by leaving me; so must Nigeria act and say “This is the end of the road”
Mr.Ifeanyi Chijioke writes for BiafraPost
Editor/Publisher: Akachukwu Udo
For Biafra Reporters
Post A Comment:
0 comments: