DSS concocting false stories, says Wike

Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike
yesterday berated the Department of State Services 
(DSS) for the arrest of judges over alleged corruption.

He described the defence of its action by the DSS as “deliberate
misinformation and concocted stories to justify their
unconstitutional assault on the nation’s judiciary”.

Wike said the DSS lacked the constitutional powers to be
involved in the legal process to discipline a serving
judicial official because “there is a legal process that must
be followed”.

He spoke on Saturday night during a special dinner for
the management and players of Rivers United at the Government
House, Port Harcourt.

“The weak blackmail of the DSS will not lessen the crime
they have committed against the Nigerian state by
assaulting the judiciary,” Wike said, adding: “Their blackmail
stories will not move me. They will concoct all kinds of stories to
justify this undemocratic illegality perpetrated against the
judiciary.

“It is really unfortunate that DSS would concoct a false defence
that $2million (that is N900million) was found in the house of the
judge. It is unfortunate that the DSS is coming up with flimsy
excuses. “

Wike said apart from not condoning corruption, he would “never
support any process that is targeted at ruining the nation’s 
judiciary”.

He said the National Judicial Council (NJC) had the
responsibility to discipline erring judges, after which
indicted judicial  officers are handed over to the law
enforcement agency for prosecution.

The governor said the police, the army and
para-military agencies  have their processes for the
discipline  of erring and corrupt officers.

“In the police, erring and corrupt  policemen are
first given orderly room trial, sacked and then appropriately 
prosecuted. For judicial officers, the DSS has no role.

“This impunity must stop. I am not in support of any judicial
officer being involved in corruption. What we are saying is that
the right things must be done. We must not do things that will
jeopardise our hard earned democracy.

“If they had abducted the judge, they may go ahead to kill the
judge and they will say that Rivers State is insecure.

“The way things are going, nobody should relax. Freedom comes
with sacrifice. Independence comes with sacrifice. Liberty comes
with sacrifice.

“We must resist this injustice. Nobody can intimidate Rivers
people.”

The governor noted that contrary to DSS statement, he was with
senior Rivers indigenes when he “stopped the DSS’
unconstitutional  act”.

“I was there with our State and National Assembly members,
former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon.
Austin Opara , the PDP Chairman, Bro Felix Obuah and some caretaker
chairmen. When they said I was with thugs, I just laughed.

The post DSS concocting false stories, says Wike
appeared first from online sources and was reposted by the community on Welcome to 9jalegal – Nigeria’s Leading Legal
Information and Services Portal.

Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike
yesterday berated the Department of State Services 
(DSS) for the arrest of judges over alleged corruption.

He described the defence of its action by the DSS as “deliberate
misinformation and concocted stories to justify their
unconstitutional assault on the nation’s judiciary”.

Wike said the DSS lacked the constitutional powers to be
involved in the legal process to discipline a serving
judicial official because “there is a legal process that must
be followed”.

He spoke on Saturday night during a special dinner for
the management and players of Rivers United at the Government
House, Port Harcourt.

“The weak blackmail of the DSS will not lessen the crime
they have committed against the Nigerian state by
assaulting the judiciary,” Wike said, adding: “Their blackmail
stories will not move me. They will concoct all kinds of stories to
justify this undemocratic illegality perpetrated against the
judiciary.

“It is really unfortunate that DSS would concoct a false defence
that $2million (that is N900million) was found in the house of the
judge. It is unfortunate that the DSS is coming up with flimsy
excuses. “

Wike said apart from not condoning corruption, he would “never
support any process that is targeted at ruining the nation’s 
judiciary”.

He said the National Judicial Council (NJC) had the
responsibility to discipline erring judges, after which
indicted judicial  officers are handed over to the law
enforcement agency for prosecution.

The governor said the police, the army and
para-military agencies  have their processes for the
discipline  of erring and corrupt officers.

“In the police, erring and corrupt  policemen are
first given orderly room trial, sacked and then appropriately 
prosecuted. For judicial officers, the DSS has no role.

“This impunity must stop. I am not in support of any judicial
officer being involved in corruption. What we are saying is that
the right things must be done. We must not do things that will
jeopardise our hard earned democracy.

“If they had abducted the judge, they may go ahead to kill the
judge and they will say that Rivers State is insecure.

“The way things are going, nobody should relax. Freedom comes
with sacrifice. Independence comes with sacrifice. Liberty comes
with sacrifice.

“We must resist this injustice. Nobody can intimidate Rivers
people.”

The governor noted that contrary to DSS statement, he was with
senior Rivers indigenes when he “stopped the DSS’
unconstitutional  act”.

“I was there with our State and National Assembly members,
former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon.
Austin Opara , the PDP Chairman, Bro Felix Obuah and some caretaker
chairmen. When they said I was with thugs, I just laughed.

The post DSS concocting false stories, says Wike
appeared first from online sources and was reposted by the community on Welcome to 9jalegal – Nigeria’s Leading Legal
Information and Services Portal.