Lately, no institution of government has been the object of derision, blackmail, and threats like the judiciary. This venerable and inviolable magisterial conservatory has been reduced to the jack-a-lent of ridicule, hate, and spite by those who are pursuing political profits through guerrilla means. How did we get here?

In the past, the judiciary had a sacrality that citizens dare not violate or abuse with wild conjectures, fallacies, innuendos, and invective. The judiciary was like a place of worship, where due obeisance and respects were paid. It was like the holy of holies.

Vicious attacks were reserved for the executive and the legislature. But all of that has changed. Today, citizens, some of them born in the new millennium, take up cudgels and mud to bludgeon and smear the judiciary. The long-held worship of the judiciary seems to have evaporated.

What changed? Politics. Our politics has become more ill-omened, devastatingly cold, and dark. The 2023 elections precipitated a dangerous angle to citizens’ behaviour and to citizen-government relationship. The disposition and political proclivities of some candidates in the election, particularly, those who lost the election introduced scorched-earth tactics into political opposition.

This dimension of opposition is most destructive, perfidious, and insidious. It tears down without building; it talks down without uplifting; it attacks without reason; it claims without evidence; it lies without let; it defames and defiles without conscience; and it opposes without a cause. All it seeks is to pull down and destroy – for as long as its longing for the seat remains a chimera.

The judiciary became the captive of vicious propaganda as the appeal court heard cases on the 2023 presidential election. The names and photos of the justices hearing the cases became items for poisoned campaigns and objurgations. Some of the justices were virtually harassed and their particulars brought into the open.

A justice sitting on the panel was reported – by the troubadours of fake news on social media – to have resigned in protest against the conduct of other members of the panel. The National Judicial Council issued a statement torpedoing the falsehood.

The appeal court concluded hearing on the matter on August 1 and reserved judgment. But the violence against the judiciary has ratcheted up. A few days ago, a vicious and injurious defamation, pertaining to the cases before the presidential election court, against a former governor and minister twirled on the ubiquitous and ungoverned social media. The photo of an individual alleged to be a judge with his grandchildren was published and assaulted on the same network as well.

As you read through this filament of words, a large billboard with the words “ALL EYES ON THE JUDICIARY” is currently on display on Abuja-Keffi Road, just opposite Mogadishu Barracks in the Federal Capital Territory. These are clearly subliminal threats against the judiciary.

The petals of desperation. The exploitation of mass hysteria. And the concomitants of confusion.

It is clear that the unlawful resort to naked blackmail against judges is to menace the judiciary – to bend it to the will of those seeking political gains. And perhaps to create a siege of option and chaos should the judgment of the presidential election court reflect a different candidate; and to prejudice the court with an impossible fait accompli.

It is dangerous having very high hopes where there is no similitude of chance; it is foolhardy creating a dream that is unrealisable. It is unwise holding unto an illusion, believing it and living it. The only way out of this phantasm is the asylum.

It is important to mention that government, at all levels, is also complicit in the collapsing stature of the judiciary. The disregard for court orders and the raiding of residences of judges as witnessed in previous administrations contribute to the desecration of the temple of justice. The judiciary itself is not without blame, but we must not in any way discredit this seminal institution or blot out its indispensability. The judiciary is too important to hold in contempt.

Nigerians must understand that the judiciary is the terminal instrument of all citizens. It must remain sacred. What is holy should be left whole. It must not be scandalised and diminished by those who lack basic understanding of how institutions function. It must not become a sport for political gladiator-ship, manoeuvrings, and attacks. It should be left in its pristineness to function.

The danger of scandalising the judiciary is enormous for society. Nothing can stand in a society where the judiciary is minimised, abused, and ridiculed. Even under military regimes, the judiciary is allowed to function because of its central role in the balance of society and in the maintenance of law and order.

This violence against the judiciary must stop.

"The true test of a fair hearing is the impression of a reasonable person who was present at the trial whether from his observation justice has been done." -(Niki Tobi JSC)

ElSudani:
Igbos are trudging a very dangerous path. Their modus operandi is one of threats, mob action and intimidation. They are now attacking the very foundation of the country.

ElSudani:
Igbos are trudging a very dangerous path. Their modus operandi is one of threats, mob action and intimidation.
They are now attacking the very foundation of the country.

Racoon:
Where we're you when the DSS under the APC was invading reverred judges housed @ midnight in 2016 in a Gestapo manner to destroyed their properties, intimidating, dehumanising their person and accused many of them of being corrupt?

How many of the judges were convict of corruption? This was the beginning of the state capture of the judiciary to become a vestigial appendage of the central government.

backtovillage:
Them don buy daily trust
But looking at it closely, It is nothing but bullying / intimidation.
When you stalk or monitor a certain judge or you post his/her families pic online.
Or
You threaten him that" if his/her judgement does not favour you, you will burn down the country"

wasiubello:
Why not write what led to this situation, why not condemn electioneering coup that took place in Nigeria.

If election has been conducted well, no one would have gone to Court. They politicians will do everything in the wrong way and want to use Court to legitimize their evil. Thank God e don choke this time. Evil people

ElSudani:


Don't claim victimization when you finally get the fire you are trying to stoke.

renderme:


The 2023 elections had the lowest violence and rigging out of all presidential elections in Nigeria since 1999. Fact.

After each presidential election, losers almost always take the winner to court. Only difference now is dt Obi is the loser and his supporters are blackmailing judges. He isnt the only loser, might i add. Why are you being sore losers? How do u explain these threatening posts to judges families below?

ElSudani:
Don't claim victimization when you finally get the fire you are trying to stoke.

ganisucks:

You sound exactly like the secretaries of Aguiyi Ironsi and Murtala Mohammed. The owner of the house is dictating rules, and you the houseboy is mandating what time you will wake up. You funny.

“A person who has forfeited property on the basis of a crime cannot be entitled to indemnity. Forfeiture is a form of punishment. There is no indemnity in our criminal procedure,” the court further stated in a majority decision delivered. - Chief Justice Olukayode Ariwoola.

BoldBrainz:
Daily trust, what's with all the verbose vocabulary? Doing this merry-go-round with spicy wordplays in an attempt to confuse the reading public is absolute gabbage.

Oga, come out with your full chest and call Peter Obi out! Call Obidients out! Because we all know where this your rickety vehicle is driving to. No dey use words play for article as if all Nigerians are as dull as APC supporters.

As long as institutional corruption holds sway to the extent the same Judiciary will perform the kind of legal abracadabra that happened in Imo state, nobody dey respect or worship the stupid legal body again.

BoldBrainz:
Daily trust, what's with all the verbose vocabulary? Doing this merry-go-round with spicy wordplays in an attempt to confuse the reading public is absolute gabbage.

Oga, come out with your full chest and call Peter Obi out! Call Obidients out! Because we all know where this your rickety vehicle is driving to. No dey use words play for article as if all Nigerians are as dull as APC supporters.

As long as institutional corruption holds sway to the extent the same Judiciary will perform the kind of legal abracadabra that happened in Imo state, nobody dey respect or worship the stupid legal body again.

ganisucks:

You sound exactly like the secretaries of Aguiyi Ironsi and Murtala Mohammed. The owner of the house is dictating rules, and you the houseboy is mandating what time you will wake up. You funny.

ElSudani:
Igbos are trudging a very dangerous path. Their modus operandi is one of threats, mob action and intimidation.
They are now attacking the very foundation of the country.
From instigating rebellion in the military to trying to intimidate the judiciary. You really need to relax and think.

Ooni:
I am a Yoruba but whoever wrote this is a complete idiot and hypocritical lunatic pretending to love Nigeria and it's institutions.

Was it not Tinubu that made a controversial remark that he would no longer tolerate judgements that run contrary to his beliefs. A president and the chief enforcer of the constitution made such statement that was condemned by the NBA and somehow that escaped the above writer's memory. Suddenly the post of some unknown persons in the social media became a worry to him.

Hypocritical hawkers of morality who assume their own bigotry to be nationalism. We are watch how this country won't Implode with this attitude.

renderme:


The 2023 elections had the lowest violence and rigging out of all presidential elections in Nigeria since 1999. Fact.

After each presidential election, losers almost always take the winner to court. Only difference now is dt Obi is the loser and his supporters are blackmailing judges. He isnt the only loser, might i add. Why are you being sore losers? How do u explain these threatening posts to judges families below?

GoodLife4live:
it is only akpu eaters that will suffer most when it get out of hand ..

Government should try to stop dis obidient method of bullying...

Tinubu followers are not smiling ohhh. Dem just dey look Dem with one eye...

I pity the outcome of everything at the end..

According to what my dad told.. dis form of obidients artitudes look like same characters paraded by their ancestors in 1944 in the north that leaded to progrom...

We should all look for means to avoid dis similar scenario that have forseen ..

Alots of comment should not be allowed on media anymore

raskymonojendor:

It's funny when this obi-diots think they are the only ones that have the monopoly of violence. All these loudmouth on social media will be the one to hide under the bed when it starts 🤣

Ooni:
I am a Yoruba

Ooni:
I am a Yoruba but whoever wrote this is a complete idiot and hypocritical lunatic pretending to love Nigeria and it's institutions.

Was it not Tinubu that made a controversial remark that he would no longer tolerate judgements that run contrary to his beliefs. A president and the chief enforcer of the constitution made such statement that was condemned by the NBA and somehow that escaped the above writer's memory. Suddenly the post of some unknown persons in the social media became a worry to him.

Hypocritical hawkers of morality who assume their own bigotry to be nationalism. We are watch how this country won't Implode with this attitude.