Founding Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other related Offences Commission, Justice Mustapha Akanbi, has urged Nigerians to support the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloma Mukthar, and anti-graft bodies in the country.
Akanbi described Mukthar's effort at sanitising the judiciary and her anti-corruption posture as laudable and deserving of encouragement from Nigerians.
He spoke in Ilorin, Kwara State, on Sunday at a town hall meeting on 'Making Nigeria a land of praise and bringing the wealth of the nation to the reach of everyone or creating a level playing ground'.
The town hall meeting was convened by the Pastor of Jesus for the World Revival Mission, Sam Aweda.
The retired judge said, "Corruption, talking frankly, is endemic. It has got to level that it has affected the judiciary. There was a time you would never talk anything against the judiciary. I am glad to say this is a great moment when Maryam Aloma Muktar, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, is doing quite a lot in fighting the menace. We should support her in fighting the battle to see that we get a better Nigeria.
"I know Mukthar, she served under me. She is a courageous woman and a core professional with high integrity and commitment to uprightness and justice. She is a person who abhors corruption and is determined to rid the country of corruption. Nigerians should support her in her efforts to sanitise the judiciary and rid Nigeria of corruption."
The jurist said that one of the impediments against anti-graft crusade had been that many Nigerians were not sincere and committed to the crusade. He noted that corrupt people were being celebrated. He said that all Nigerians should be agents of anti-corruption drive.
Akanbi, a former President of the Court of Appeal, while noting that corruption had become endemic and pervasive in Nigeria, said there was the need for the nation's leaders to have strong political will to fight it. He added that there should be proper funding of anti-graft agencies.
The Punch