Worried by the non-payment of salaries to federal judges for four months, the Senate, yesterday, took steps to probe the development, to ascertain why the government would allow such to happen.
Consequently, the Senate, yesterday asked its Committees on Finance and Judiciary to as a matter of urgency, investigate the claims and ensure that the salary arrears of federal judicial officers were paid promptly, just as it frowned on the alleged refusal of the Federal Government to pay the judges.
Meanwhile, the Committees which have Senators John Enoh (PDP, Cross River Central) and David Umaru (APC, Niger East) as chairmen, will report back to the Senate next week Tuesday for further legislative action.
The decision of the Senate was sequel to a motion made under matters of urgent national importance and moved by the Deputy Leader of the Senate, Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah (APC, Kebbi South).
Speaking, Senator Na’Allah, noted that the non-payment of the judges was unhealthy for the country, urging other Senators to intervene and act swiftly to ensure that incidences such as these do not occur, going forward.
Senator Na’Allah said: “I am aware that some judiciary workers, especially judges have not been paid for about four months. I do not think this is good. I felt it is important for me to bring it to the notice of the Senate. We need to find a way to resolve this issue.”
In his remarks, Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who presided, said that if what had been raised was found to be true, there was an urgent need to guide against it in the future.
According to Ekweremadu, the National Assembly placed the judiciary on first line charge in order to guide against cases such as this, just as he mandated the two committees to intervene on behalf of the Senate, adding that the refusal to pay judges was inimical to the success of the ongoing anti-corruption war.
He said: “If it is true that judges have not been paid for four months, then it is very worrisome. The reason why we placed the judiciary on first line charge is to guide against things like this. The committees on Finance and Judiciary should within one week, look into the issue. They should ensure that the judges owed are paid within one week.”
“This is not good for our judiciary. You cannot fight corruption if you do not pay people who disperse justice. This is unhealthy for the system. The two committees should speak with the relevant people. This is not good at all.”
It will be recalled that the Department of State Services, had in October last year, arrested seven judges for their alleged involvement in corruption.
The DSS had then said that a total of 15 judges were currently under investigation over allegations of corruption.