CJN swears in six new high court judges, warns them against ‘corrupt acquaintances’

Ibrahim Muhammad, chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), has sworn in six newly appointed judges of the federal high court and the federal capital territory (FCT).

Addressing the judges during the swearing-in ceremony at the supreme court on Wednesday, the CJN advised the judicial officers to avoid unholy alliance with people of questionable character that could influence them to do things that are offensive to the law.

He also said with the 2023 general election approaching, many allegations would be raised against judges by litigants and warned the new judges against condoning corruption.

“Though judicial officers are not known to possess some supernatural powers to perform wonders, I can assure you that the society within which you will operate may demand the impossible from you as judges,” he said.

“There is nothing we have not seen or heard of, before, but you should be ready to see and hear more, especially as we approach election season in 2023.

“Even though I rejoice with you on this very important appointment, I still sympathise with you for the many troubles, inconveniences, verbal assaults and all sorts of uncomplimentary remarks that may be made about you by various litigants in the course of your adjudication, especially if your conscience is not controlling your conduct.

“We are all humans, no doubt, but you must display the humanism in you by doing those extraordinary things that people would say you cannot do. That is what distinguishes those with integrity and passion for success from those with unenviable pedigree and dysfunctional moral compass.”

He cautioned the incoming judges against assuming that their ascension to the bench implies affluence.

“You must shun unmerited wealth, vainglory, dishonest disposition and ostentatious lifestyle borne out of corrupt acquaintances,” he said.

“The National Judicial Council will never rest on its oars in fishing out the bad eggs within the judiciary at all times.

“You can only run but certainly won’t have the capacity to hide from the long arm of our disciplinary apparatus. Never should you engage in any act that may make you regret ever being a judicial officer.”

The newly sworn-in federal high court judges are Emmanuel Gakko, Bala Khalifa-Mohammed Usman, Aminu Garba, Musa Sulaiman Liman, Ahmad Gama Mahmud and Segun-Bello Mabel Taiye.

Joseph Adebayo Aina was sworn in as a judge of the FCT high court.