The US government has quietly commenced clearly punitive actions against specific Nigerian judges especially in the Supreme Court involved in what the American Embassy see as contentious court rulings deemed antithetical to the country’s democracy.
THE QUEST TIMES investigations reveal that the US actions may have been directed at the Supreme Court Justices who sat and ruled in the case of Hope Uzodinma vs. Emeka Ihedioha (2020).
Tanko Mohammed, the former Chief Justice of Nigeria; Olukayode Ariwoola (now CJN); late Sylvester Ngwuta; Kudirat Kekere-Ekun; Amina Augie; and Uwani Abba-Aji were the judges in the case. The judges had declared Uzodinma, the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate who had previously finished fourth in the polls, the winner of the state’s 2019 governorship race.
Some online media reports recently claimed that some Nigerian judges, and their relatives, were denied visas to attend a judicial conference in America. “Some of the relatives of these judges who ordinarily visit the United States on a regular basis have also been targets of US visa bans in recent time,” a senior Government source has also told THE QUEST TIMES. Some legal luminaries in the country also confirmed this.
And even though the American Embassy in Nigeria has refused to clarify the situation, observers are inclined to believe the Embassy’s silence over such high-level subjects might be a subtle confirmation.
“We are talking here of a matter that affects the head of a whole arm of government in Nigeria, if the Americans are unwilling to clear the air and protect the man by saying he has not been banned then your guess is as good as mine,” one of the sources interviewed by THE QUEST TIMES said.
Nigeria’s courts have been under fire in recent years, with claims of political influence and involvement, amid some controversial verdicts which some believe may be eroding public trust in the system. The independence and impartiality of Nigerian courts have come under scrutiny in a number of high-profile instances.
Following the delivery of certain “controversial judgements,” Nigeria’s Chief Justice, Justice Ariowoola, and six others were reportedly denied visas to attend a pre-scheduled event in the United States last month.
In response to THE QUEST TIMES inquiry, a the Supreme Court official confirmed the incident happened. His response said “From all indications, they were to travel for a seminar to the United States… but they were refused visa [some of them], so they couldn’t go.” The officer continued to say the incident happened last year.
THE QUEST TIMES tried to reach Dr. Festus Akande, the Supreme Court’s Director in charge of Press and Information for his comments but all efforts to reach him proved abortive.
THE QUEST TIMES inquired about the situation with the American embassy. “Visa records are confidential under US law; therefore, we cannot discuss the details of visa cases,” said Mrs Aishah Gambari, Senior Information Specialist at the Embassy.
Following the outcome of the 2023 presidential election, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken declared on May 15, 2023 that the country had taken harsh steps, including visa bans on certain individuals, for “undermining the democratic process” in Nigeria.
While Secretary Blinken did not name anyone, it has been widely believed that Musiliu Akinsanya, also known as MC Oluomo, former Governors Nasir el-Rufai, and Rotimi Amaechi are on the list of politicians barred from entering the United States.
“The US visa ban on Nigerian judges and politicians reflects rising dissatisfaction with the erosion of judicial independence and corruption charges within Nigeria’s legal system. The United States wants to send a clear message that such behaviour will not be accepted and may have repercussions outside of Nigeria by focusing on certain judges linked to contentious rulings,” a western diplomat volunteered.
Analysts think this action has a number of repercussions. Adewale Oyewole, a researcher at the African Centre for Democratic Research told THE QUEST TIMES, speaking on the implications of the reported ban, “It underscores the importance of judicial accountability and integrity in a democratic society. The ban serves as a warning against misconduct, reminding top officials
them of the potential repercussions of their actions.”
He noted further that the ban on the judges “sends a signal to the Nigerian government that the international community is closely monitoring the situation. It places pressure on Nigerian authorities to take concrete steps to address the issues within their judiciary, including strengthening institutional safeguards and combating corruption.”