How I’ll fight corruption in Nigeria’s judiciary – CJN Tanko

The newly sworn-in Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Tanko Muhammad, says his administration will focus on fighting corruption in the judiciary.

“Anybody who is not satisfied with the job and he wants money, the judiciary or judicial line is not a place for money-making,” Mr Muhammad said.

Earlier on Wednesday, Mr Muhammad was sworn by President Muhammadu Buhari at the council chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He was cleared by the Senate last week after his name was submitted to the lawmakers by the president.

Speaking with State House correspondents after the swearing-in, Mr Muhammad admitted that there is corruption within the judiciary system.

He explained that some people were posing as “go-between, which is between a judge and perhaps somebody who is standing trial.”

These ‘go-betweens’, he said, “go around asking people for money here and there” to settle judges and facilitate judgments.

“I’m sure any judge or any justice who is in his real sense can never ask somebody to go and collect money for him because he knows that he is being paid by the government for what he does,” he said.

Nigeria’s judicial system has always faced allegations of corrupt practices with the most recent involving senior judges.

It was such a scenario that led to the appointment of Mr Muhammad as CJN.