Judges’ Arrest To reform a ‘corrupt’ Judiciary, knocking on doors at midnight will be absolutely necessary

The nationwide raid on homes of allegedly corrupt judges has sparked enormous debate across the country

As guest of a TV program to discuss Nigeria’s Independence Day Anniversary a fortnight ago, I got into a light-hearted debate with another guest, on the efficacy or otherwise of President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption war.

“I don’t think this administration is fighting corruption”, the co-guest hollered from across the table, as he made to knock off my assertion to the contrary.

He had premised his argument on the fact that not one conviction has been secured by the Buhari administration since its much vaunted anti-graft war kicked off last year.

“Well, it’s not the President’s job to convict allegedly corrupt persons”, I tendered respectfully. “We are running a democracy and it’s the job of the judiciary to convict. Which is why the President has been going on about reforming the judiciary”, I posited, hinging my argument on the principle of separation of powers in a democracy.