The Department of State Services (DSS) said it uncovered the sum of $2 million dollars cash in the home of a Judge under investigation. According to the DSS a sting operation it carried out led to the shock find among other obscene amounts of money in Pounds, Euros and other currencies in the homes of three judges under probe.

The DSS which did not name the state where the Judge operates in, however said that the Governor of the unnamed state colluded with the judge, a sister security agency and other make-shift security personnel to ferry the money out of the home of the said judge to an unknown destination.

Three judges had been under the searchlight of the DSS from whom various sums of money were recovered. The cash recovered include among others: N93,558,000.00, $530,087, £25,970, and €5,680.

According to the DSS, these judges had been practising cash-and-carry justice system and leaving flamboyant life styles unbecoming of their estate. They were also said to own palatial properties in choice locations.

The full official Statement of DSS on Judicial Officers Under Investigation read:

The Department of State Services (DSS) in the past few days, has embarked on series of special sting operations involving some Judges of the Supreme, Appeal and High Courts. These operations were based on allegations of corruptions and other acts of professional misconduct by a few of the suspected Judges. The Service action is in line with its core mandate, as we have been monitoring the expensive and luxurious lifestyle of some of the Judges as well as complaints from the concerned public over judgment obtained fraudulently and on the basis amounts of money paid.

The judges involved were invited, upon which due diligence was exhibited and their premises searched. The searches have uncovered huge raw cash of various denominations, local and foreign currencies, with real estate worth several millions of Naira and documents affirming unholy acts by these Judges. Meanwhile, some of them have made useful statements while a few have declined even with the glaring evidences that were found against them in terms of material cash, documents and property recovered pointing to their compromise.

In one of the States where the Service operations were conducted, credible intelligence revealed that the Judge had Two Million United States Dollars ($2,000,000 USD) stashed in his house. When he was approached for due search to be conducted, he in concert with the State Governor, mobilized thugs against the Service team. The team restrained itself in the face of unbridled provocative activities by those brought in by the Governor. Unfortunately, the Judge and Governor also engaged the tacit support of a sister security agency.

The Service surveillance team noticed that upon frustrating the operation, the Judge with the active support of the Governor craftily moved the money to an unknown location which the Service is currently making effort to unravel.

Meanwhile, large amount including foreign/local currencies have been recovered. Summaries of these include:

SUMMARY OF RECOVERED MONEY

1. NAIRA –      N93,558,000.00
2. DOLLARS –      $530,087
3. POUNDS –      £25,970
4. EURO –      €5,680

Other foreign currencies were also recovered. This were recovered from just three (3) of the judges.

These in addition to other banking documents, including real estate documents have been recovered. Meanwhile preparations are ongoing to arraign them in a competent court of jurisdiction in line with the laws of the nation.

The Service would want to clearly state that it has never invited Justice Walter NKANU ONNOGHEN for investigation, neither is he being investigated by this Service. In addition the Service would like to put it on record, that it has tremendous respect for the Judiciary and would not do anything to undermine it or its activities. The Service will also join hands with this noble institution in its fight to rid it of few corrupt Judges whose actions is undermining not only the Judiciary but the common bond of our national life.

Ladies and gentlemen, this current operation will be sustained and followed till sanity and sanctity is restored to the esteemed third arm of government and public confidence is regained.

Members of the public are also encouraged to avail the Service of any information which could assist in this drive to rid our nation of corrupt practices and tendencies.

THANK YOU.

Abdullahi GARBA,

Department of State Services,

Abuja, 8th October, 2016.