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Dozens of witnesses are ready to testify against the seven arrested senior judges as the Department of Security Services (DSS) charges them to court next week, Daily Trust gathered yesterday.
The security agency said it was almost through with its investigations as it awaited the National Judicial Council to take some decisions about the affected judges before their arraignment next week, a security source said last night.

“We are almost through with the investigation. The ongoing investigation is not supposed to go beyond this week. We have written the NJC about what has happened and we expect the NJC to take some decisions about the affected judges this week.”
“Once that is done, hopefully by next week or thereabout, we should arraign them in court,” the source told Daily Trust.
Fifteen senior judges are under investigation over corrupt practices and seven judges have already been arrested.
The source said since the arrest of the judges and raid of their homes, more petitions were sent to the DSS over various corruption allegations against many other judges.
“For now more facts in the form of petitions are trickling in about the judges. It’s like everyone who has had cause to go to court for one reason or the other has been a victim. More facts are trickling in and we cannot ignore them,” the source said.
“It is our statutory responsibility to investigate painstakingly every complaint. Some victims have even indicated their readiness to testify in court. We assure the public that we will do a thorough job.
“We are investigating all the properties linked to them. The kind of things we observe as regards the forms they submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau is another kettle of fish,” the source said.
“We discover a judge filling three different forms with different information either in terms of assets declared or even personal information like age,” the security source added.

ABUJA – The All Progressives Congress (APC) has asked the opposition Peoples Democratic Party PDP to leave President Muhammadu Buhari out of the issues surrounding Saturday’s night raid of the residences of some judges by operatives of the Department of State Services.

In a statement issued Sunday night in Abuja and signed by the national secretary of the APC, Mai Mala Buni, the party however advised all security agencies to be guided by the rule of law in the discharge of their mandates.

“The All Progressives Congress (APC) is concerned about the desperation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and some of its governors to drag the President into circumstances surrounding the reported raids of the homes of some judges by the State Security Service (SSS).

“The President Muhammadu Buhari APC-led administration strictly respects the principle of the Rule of Law and also adheres to the constitutional provisions of Separation of Power between the three arms of government”, the party said.


Ngwuta, Okoroand Ademola
Security Agencies must respect Rule of Law

APC however called on security agencies to respect the laws of the land in its operations.

“While the Party calls on all security agencies to respect and be guided by the rule of law in carrying out its constitutional duties, the APC finds the actions of some PDP governors and the reckless unsubstantiated allegations levelled by the PDP on President Muhammadu Buhari as the architect of the SSS raids curious and suspicious.

“The APC suspects that the PDP and the Ekiti and Rivers State governors, Ayodele Fayose and Nyesom Wike have something to hide. This is a red flag that security agencies must not ignore.

“Meanwhile, the APC will not to join issues on matters before the courts because it will be sub judice. We advice the PDP to tow the same line and allow judicial processes run it normal and legitimate course.

“The repeated allegations that ongoing corruption investigations and trials are politically-motivated by the President and the APC are baseless. The APC urges Nigerians not to be distracted by the PDP and their agents plot to discredit the hugely-successful war against corruption. For the umpteenth time, the PDP does not have the luxury of dictating how the current administration carries out its legitimate duty of catching looters, as long as it conforms to the rule of law.

“Meanwhile, the APC calls on security agencies to check the continued and increased spate of politically-motivated killings and violence being perpetuated under the watch of the Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and the PDP in the state”, APC urged.