Justice Musa Dattijo Muhammad on his last day as a Justice of the Nigerian Supreme Court declared that the Nigerian judiciary is characterised by filth and intrigues.
He said that public perceptions of the judiciary have in recent years become scornful and “monstrously” critical.
He said a situation where two out of six geopolitical zones of the country are excluded from the bench of the Supreme Court hearing appeals on the presidential election is dangerous.
Justice Muhammad, at a valedictory court session held in his honour, also lamented the depletion in the bench of the apex court and joined others in the call for urgent replacement.
Justice Muhammad, who retired after attaining the mandatory retirement age of 70, linked the negative perception of the judiciary to the appointment of judicial officers, claiming that appointments have been polluted by political, selfish and sectional interests.
He said: “It is asserted that the process of appointment to judicial positions is deliberately conducted to give undue advantage to the children, spouses and mistresses of serving and retired judges and managers of judicial offices.