Edited by Livingrich Ezeikpe
It is believed that the judiciary is the last hope of a common man, but in Nigeria, that isn't the case. The judiciary has been bastardized by criminal minded politicians who are hell-bent on impoverishing the masses whom they claim to be protecting.
In any democratic setting, there is the principle of separation of power, which makes checks and balances possible. But in the political settings of Nigeria, the executive arm runs the show. The legislative arm is comatose, only interested in getting their emolument. The judiciary is directly under the executive arm, the executive moves it around just like a puppeteer moves the puppet. They (the executive) decide which judge takes which case, who is guilty or innocent and not the judges. The executive can flagrantly circumvent laws, which are meant to be binding on everybody, but nothing will happen to them. This government claims this is a democratic dispensation, hence should also practice rule of law.
The political bigwigs can overturn the rulings of a law court at will and won't be brought to book thereby making the law ineffective. And in any society where the constitution or laws are less effective, anarchy will never be lacking and that is the situation in the Nigerian society.
In recent occasions, we have noticed and watched the corrupt politicians bend the law to their own aggrandizement. A court of competent jurisdiction discharged and acquitted Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and granted Dasuki unconditional bail but the Nigerian executive denied them bail. The Magistrate and High Courts granted Mazi Nnamdi Kanu bail on three different occasions but the Nigerian government blatantly circumvented the laws and nothing was done about it.
Now after trials upon trials and adjournments upon adjournment, the Nigerian Federal High Court declared IPOB a duly Registered and peaceful organization, they granted the leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu bail although stringent. Then the Nigerian government tried assassinating him at his hometown in Afaraukwu Ibeku where they killed many IPOB members. That did not satisfy the military, they decided to proscribe IPOB and tagged her a terrorist organization without the orders from a law court. Then came series of litigation from various quarters: local and international, they now went to a law court so as to get away with the lives they wasted but that is impossible because the world is watching.
In the northeastern part of Nigeria, the Boko Haram sect that has international recognition as a terrorist group is terrorizing that region, they even kill Nigerian soldiers in their numbers, yet they are handled with kid gloves while peaceful lPOB is handled with iron hand. In the same vein, they tagged Fulani herdsmen, an internationally recognized terrorist organization mere criminals, while lPOB, known the world over as peaceful and law-abiding indigenous people fighting for their freedom is tagged terrorist organisation. IPOB members haven't fired a shot nor have they been seen with any weapon yet they are tagged terrorists, despite being registered in London and declared non-violent by law courts.
Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has not been heard from since his house was attacked, and the corpses of many of the people killed by the Nigerian soldiers have not been seen because they killed IPOB members and took their corpses away. They go about, randomly arresting and incarcerating IPOB members for no just cause while hardened Bokoharam fighters who have blood on their hands are released to go and continue with their jihad.
The UN should compel the Nigerian government to release our brothers that are under the military custody.
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