Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Abuja on Monday, marching to the National Assembly and the Supreme Court to express their anger over the escalating judiciary crisis in Benue State.
The demonstrators, comprising civil society organizations, human rights groups, and concerned citizens, carried placards and banners condemning the alleged hijacking of the Benue State Local Government Election Tribunal by powerful politicians.
The protesters demanded judicial independence and fair adjudication of election-related cases, warning against political interference that could undermine democracy.
In a speech delivered during the protest, Comrade Igwe Ude-Umanta, Chief Convener of the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations in Nigeria, accused Justice Maurice Ikpambese, the Chief Judge of Benue State, of unilaterally granting a waiver to petitioners of the Local Government Election Tribunal, violating the constitutional requirement for a security deposit.
Ude-Umanta also condemned Justice M.M. Adamu of the FCT High Court 34 for issuing an order compelling the tribunal to sit in Abuja, despite a previous court order restraining the tribunal from sitting outside Benue State.
The protesters called on the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, to intervene urgently in the crisis and expunge corrupt judges from the Nigerian judiciary.
They also demanded that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu take immediate action to address the crisis and ensure that justice is served.
