The DSS has issued a statement saying that one of the arrested judges had $2Million (N960Million) stashed in his house. Read the Press Statement
PRESS STATEMENT BY THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE SERVICES
The Department of State Services (DSS) in the past few days, has
embarked on series of special sting operations involving some Judges of
the Supreme, Appeal and High Courts. These operations were based on
allegations of corruptions and other acts of professional misconduct by a
few of the suspected Judges. The Service action is in line with its
core mandate, as we have been monitoring the expensive and luxurious
lifestyle of some of the Judges as well as complaints from the concerned
public over judgment obtained fraudulently and on the basis amounts of
money paid.
The judges involved were invited, upon which due diligence was
exhibited and their premises searched. The searches have uncovered huge
raw cash of various denominations, local and foreign currencies, with
real estate worth several millions of Naira and documents affirming
unholy acts by these Judges. Meanwhile, some of them have made useful
statements while a few have declined even with the glaring evidences
that were found against them in terms of material cash, documents and
property recovered pointing to their compromise.
In one of the States where the Service operations were conducted,
credible intelligence revealed that the Judge had Two Million United
States Dollars ($2,000,000 USD) stashed in his house. When he was
approached for due search to be conducted, he in concert with the State
Governor, mobilized thugs against the Service team. The team restrained
itself in the face of unbridled provocative activities by those brought
in by the Governor. Unfortunately, the Judge and Governor also engaged
the tacit support of a sister security agency.
The Service surveillance team noticed that upon frustrating the
operation, the Judge with the active support of the Governor craftily
moved the money to an unknown location which the Service is currently
making effort to unravel.
Meanwhile, large amount including foreign/local currencies have been recovered. Summaries of these include:
SUMMARY OF RECOVERED MONEY
1. NAIRA – N93,558,000.00
2. DOLLARS – $530,087
3. POUNDS – £25,970
4. EURO – €5,680
Other foreign currencies were also recovered. This were recovered from just three (3) of the judges.
These in addition to other banking documents, including real estate
documents have been recovered. Meanwhile preparations are ongoing to
arraign them in a competent court of jurisdiction in line with the laws
of the nation.
The Service would want to clearly state that it has never invited
Justice Walter NKANU ONNOGHEN for investigation, neither is he being
investigated by this Service. In addition the Service would like to put
it on record, that it has tremendous respect for the Judiciary and would
not do anything to undermine it or its activities. The Service will
also join hands with this noble institution in its fight to rid it of
few corrupt Judges whose actions is undermining not only the Judiciary
but the common bond of our national life.
Ladies and gentlemen, this current operation will be sustained and
followed till sanity and sanctity is restored to the esteemed third arm
of government and public confidence is regained.
Members of the public are also encouraged to avail the Service of any
information which could assist in this drive to rid our nation of
corrupt practices and tendencies.
THANK YOU.
Abdullahi GARBA,
Department of State Services,
Abuja.
8th October, 2016.