The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has condemned death threats issued against judges of the Kano gubernatorial tribunal by the state commissioner for Lands, Adamu Kibiya.
The umbrella body of legal practionals in the country, described the threat as an assault on the judiciary that would not be taken lightly.
Recall that Kano commissioner for Lands, Adamu A Kiyawa had on Thursday at a special prayer session held by New Nigeria Peoples Party supporters spoke to journalists, allegedly issuing a threat to judges in the governorship tribunal that whoever among them takes a bribe to scuttle the judgment would pay with his or her lives.
The video of the interview went viral on social media with lots of condemnation considering who was even issuing the threat as a senior government official in the state.
Reacting to the situation, NBA Kano branch Chairman, Barr. Suleiman Gezawa said on Friday that the state governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf should sanction the commissioner to show that the statement is not the position of the state government.
‘’ My attention was just called to the news on the death threat issued by a member of Kano State Executive Council against judges on the governorship tribunal saying that if any one of them should take bribe, the judge should be ready to pay with his life, ‘’Gezawa said.
‘’This is totally unacceptable and we would not allow it to go just like that. We as a body are calling on the governor to sanction him so as to distance himself and the government from such a statement.’’
Gezawa also called on security agents to investigate the threat as there may be other motives behind the death threat for the commissioner to issue it openly with confidence.
The NBA chairman added that this is the first step to be taken by the body as it will take next step if nothing is done on the issue.
