Two Federal High Court judges in Nigeria, Mohammed Yunusa and Hyeladzira Nganjiwa, have reported to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Following an invitation letter the EFCC extended to them, the judges arrived at the anti-graft agency’s office at about 10:05am on Monday, October 17 in Lagos, southwest Nigeria.
Their invitation was sequel to the alleged bribery and money laundering the commission discovered while investigating an ongoing case for which two senior lawyers had already been arraigned in court.
The lawyers, Rickey Tarfa and Joseph Nwobike, were arraigned by the EFCC before a Lagos High Court on March 9, 2016, on allegations of bribery and offering gratification to a public official.
Tarfa and Nwobike are facing criminal prosecution for allegedly offering gratification to Federal High Court judges, to refrain them from exercising the duties of their office.
Subsequent investigation revealed that the two judges allegedly received money from the two senior lawyers severally.
The judges were questioned by operatives of the anti-graft agency.
The anti-corruption war of the present administration has been extended to legal practitioners, with top judges being investigated.
On October 8, operatives of some security agencies raided homes of some judges and arrested some of them.
The Department of State Services (DSS), which carried out the operation with some police officials, said that the judges were being investigated for alleged corruption and misconduct.
Their arrest had whipped up diverse comments, with the Nigerian Bar Association saying it was unconstitutional.
The association further declared a state of emergency in the judiciary over the midnight arrest of the judges and demanded that they should be released unconditionally.
After days in detention and several other demands for their release, the DSS granted them bail on self-recognisance, with a mandate that they must report to the security agency’s office when needed. (Channels TV)