Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Abuja on Monday, marching toward the National Assembly and the Supreme Court to voice their outrage over the escalating judiciary crisis in Benue State.
The demonstrators, comprising civil society organizations, human rights activists, and concerned citizens, wielded placards and banners condemning what they described as the hijacking of the Benue State Local Government Election Tribunal by powerful political figures.
Speaking at the protest, Igwe Ude-Umanta, Chief Convener of the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations in Nigeria, accused Justice Maurice Ikpambese, the Chief Judge of Benue State, of unlawfully granting a waiver to petitioners in the tribunal, bypassing the constitutional requirement for a security deposit.
Ude-Umanta also criticized Justice M.M. Adamu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court 34 for issuing an order that forced the tribunal to relocate to Abuja, despite a previous court ruling barring it from sitting outside Benue State.
The protesters called on the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, to urgently intervene in the crisis and rid the judiciary of corrupt judges.
Additionally, they urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take immediate steps to ensure justice is served and restore public confidence in the judiciary.
The demonstration underscores growing concerns over judicial interference and political influence in Nigeria’s legal system, with activists warning of dire consequences if the issues remain unaddressed.