Posted by By SEYE OJO, Ibadan on
The Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), South-West zone has called on the Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice Isaiah Lakanmi and Justice Iyabo Yerima of the state High Court to respect the law, which they both seek to protect and vacate their respective offices.
The Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), South-West zone has called on the Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice Isaiah Lakanmi and Justice Iyabo Yerima of the state High Court to respect the law, which they both seek to protect and vacate their respective offices.
The organisation in a statement, signed by its Zonal Director for South-West, Miss. Olayinka Onasanya, a copy of which was made available to Daily Sun in Ibadan yesterday, said it was sad to note that both judges, who had been retired by the National Judicial Commission (NJC) could continue to sit with impunity.
The CLO condemned, in strong terms, the action of Justice Lakanmi, in which he allegedly gave order that some lawyers and journalists be locked-in by the gate-keepers at the premises of the Oyo State High Court, M.K.O. Abiola Way, Ring Road, Ibadan penultimate Monday.
'The Civil Liberties Organisation, South-West Zone condemns, in its entirety, the action of the retired Oyo State Chief Judge, Justice Isaiah Olakanmi.
'The Chief Judge had on Monday, April 1, 2008 ordered that some lawyers and journalists in the state be locked-in by gatemen at the High Court premises for daring to move near his official car and taking shots without the permission of the court. He also threatened to deal with journalists who had earlier gone to his office for his comments.
'Justice Lakanmi is supposed to be a custodian of the law, and not a violator of it. The lawyers and journalists he ordered to be locked-in were just going about their lawful duties. If the chief judge is aggrieved by their action, he should channel his grievances to the right quarters rather than taking the laws into his own hands," the CLO submitted.
The rights movement, however, described the alleged action of Justice Lakanmi as a total disregard for the respect of the human rights of the lawyers and the journalists whom he ordered to be locked- in.
The Civil Liberties Organisation recalled that the National Judicial Commission had last month retired Justice Olakanmi and Justice Iyabo Yerima for their roles in the impeachment of former governor of Oyo State, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, stressing that the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Oyo State branch after holding an extraordinary general meeting of the association on March 31, 2008 decided to boycott the court of the affected judges.