Former chief judge says judiciary is victim of corruption

Ibrahim Auta, a former chief judge of the federal high court, says the judiciary, especially the judges have become victims of corruption allegations in the country.

Auta said when the Society Watch Media Ltd. (SWML), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), conferred an award of excellence on him in Abuja on Wednesday.

He said because judges were barred from speaking to the press, most of the corruption allegation levelled against them often appeared to be true.

The former chief judge said corruption perceptions about judges were becoming acceptable because the people believed whatever they read in the media without verification.

Auta said there was no country and sector devoid of corruption, adding that it was only the magnitude of the practice that differed.

He said the country was faced with many challenges and problems ranging from corruption, kidnapping, ritual killings, lack of infrastructural development, favouritism, nepotism and religious crisis.

“At the root of this challenges is leadership, what we have been lacking in Nigeria is good and purposeful, nationalistic and patriotic leaders,’’ he said.

He, therefore, called on Nigerians to pray for President Muhammadu Buhari that whatever he was doing would be of benefit to Nigerians.

He also called for the recruitment of more policemen to ensure adequate security for the country.

According to him, the current insecurity ravaging the country necessitated the need to employ more police personnel that would be equipped and adequately funded.

He said the current figure of policemen in the country was inadequate to provide security for over 200 million Nigerians.