Abuja lawyer says DSS has no power to take action

An Abuja-based legal practitioner,

Oshiemomoh said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday.

‘Corruption is a deadly virus to our economy and whosoever is involved whether he’s a judge should not be shielded.

“But the issue is that the DSS has no statutory powers under the National Security Agencies Act to arrest any judges,” he said.

He said that the Act establishing the DSS did not empower the service to investigate allegations that had to do with economic crimes.

The legal practitioner said that the police, ICPC and the EFCC were the only relevant institutions established by the law to handle such cases.

He,therefore, cautioned the service not to indulge in act that could ridicule the integrity of the Federal Government.

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Oshiemomoh said the action of the DSS could be construed by the international community that the Federal Government had no respect for the rule of law.

He also advised the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) and the judiciary to support any legitimate means used by government to fight corruption.

According to him, the only way to succeed in the fight against corruption is through effective synergy between the executive and the judiciary.

‘In whatever evidence they have against these judges, the DSS ought to have liase with the head of the judiciary with their evidence and I believe the CJN will oblige them to come for further questioning.”