A senior lawyer in Nigeria, Mr Yusuf Ali, says the invasion of the homes of some judges and the arrest of some of them will encourage lynching in the society.
Mr Ali, like the Nigerian Bar Association, condemned the raid and arrest, claiming that due process was not followed in the arrest of the judges.
He gave the opinion on Friday at Obafemi Awolowo University’s annual public lecture and the launch of a book entitled, ‘A worshipper in the temple’.
The programme was organised in honour of Emeritus Professor David Ijalaye by the Quintessential Equity Chambers, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife in Osun State on Thursday.
He said: “Everybody knows what I stand for when it comes to the issue of corruption, there are laws to deal with that. You can’t as well sanction lynching if that invasion is right. People who lynch is because they felt there won’t be justice.
“So, if we want to do away with the law, let’s all agree that lynching is legal. People can then show reprehension when they catch an armed robber now, they can now lynch and forget the law. If lynching is wrong, the invasion of people’s home in the middle of the night is not for any reason in accordance with the law,” he told the gathering.
According to him, majority of Nigerians, including lawyers and judges, must shun corruption for the country to progress.
He said: “We must respect our different professions.
“The quick fix mentality has been in us since military intervention. The wheel is very slow but sure. Even if they have search warrants, all processes of court are never served at night. We should not permit states agents to invade people’s houses in the middle of the night, hounded with mask with this level of insecurity”.
He argued specifically that the government and its officials were not transparent in some of their dealings.
“It takes two to tangle when you talk about bribe. If you and I have a matter before a judge and you should refrain from giving bribe and I also should do the same. Nigerians should stop thinking that justice can be sold or bought. Litigants should stop offering bribe. They should all believe that they can buy justice.
“We should put the nail where it belongs. You talk about judges taking money as if judges on their own go to them to be bribed. People offer this money. They should stop this mentality that justice could be bought,” he said.
Delivering a lecture entitled, ‘Nigeria’s economy: The roles of worshippers in the temple of justice,’ a renowned businessman, Jimoh Ibrahim, explained that no country would want to do business with Nigeria if the level of corruption was not reduced.
He added that “one of the judges is said to be keeping 54 million Naira in his bedroom, others 137 million Naira and 20,000 pounds.
“Even we that borrow money to do businesses can’t afford to have such luxury of money in our homes. I think this is complete madness and things must be set straight. Such situation is unacceptable”.
On his part, the Vice-Chancellor of the OAU, Professor Anthony Elujoba, described the contribution of Emeritus Professor Ijalaye as germane to the growth and continuity of the institution.
He urged members of the university community to do things right for progress to be experienced.
“The glorious things you left has been tampered with. It is now that our eyes are opened that the greatness your calibre built for us has been damaged by those of us who do not know anything.
“The time of recovery of OAU has come. All that is lost about OAU will soon be reverted,” he added.