A retired Justice of the Supreme Court, Mary Odili, has said that judges accused of misconduct often evade disciplinary action because petitions filed against them are frequently unsupported by credible evidence. Speaking on Thursday at the South-East Regional Security Summit held at the International Conference Centre in Umuahia and organised by the Federal Ministry of Defence, Justice Odili stressed that the National Judicial Council (NJC) only disciplines judicial officers when allegations are backed by verifiable facts.
She explained that while the NJC takes every petition against judges seriously, complainants must provide sufficient material evidence to substantiate their claims.
"A lot of concerns have been raised in the society about whether justice is what it should be. Some people have grievances about some judges; please send your petitions to the National Judicial Council,” she said.
Justice Odili noted that the Chief Justice of Nigeria gives attention to every complaint submitted against judicial officers but warned that unsubstantiated petitions cannot lead to sanctions.
"The Chief Justice of Nigeria attends to every petition that comes against any judicial officer, but some petitions come in watery form without facts, without the material support with which that petition is to be attended to.
"Remember, the judge you are accusing or who you thought had infringed has a right to a fair hearing. So, he can extricate himself from the condemnation or the accusations if the petition is watery and does not have the necessary facts for which it can be handled,” she said.
The retired jurist encouraged Nigerians dissatisfied with judicial decisions or the conduct of judges to channel their complaints through the NJC, emphasising that petitions must be supported by concrete evidence.
"Once your petitions are verified and they have the necessary credence, that judge will get the necessary punishment,” she added.
Justice Odili also reaffirmed the judiciary's commitment to upholding justice, peace, and security across the country, assuring Nigerians that the courts would continue to discharge their constitutional responsibilities effectively.