Senate President, Bukola Saraki on Tuesday said Department of State Services (DSS), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other government agencies must obey the court.
Saraki was speaking about the refusal of the DSS to release former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki and IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu despite court rulings.
Saraki spoke at the national anti-corruption summit in Abuja.
He said the anti-graft agencies must be free from political interference, while stating that “every authority under the constitution” must obey court orders.
Saraki said, “I would not end my remarks without commenting on the need for every authority under our constitution to abide by decisions of courts made within jurisdiction. This is the only way to preserve law and order and maintain the rule of law as an essential ingredient for the survival of our nascent democracy,” Saraki said.
“As emphasised earlier, anti-corruption does not start or end with the ICPC, or the EFCC, the Police or the DSS. This fight is all-encompassing. This fight can only be fought and won by all of us – the people and their government – working in sync and playing our own part in the process within the ambits of our defined powers.
“If we are truly serious about building a Nigeria that is free from corruption and its myriad consequences, then we must fight to build a nation of institutions under law.
“We must work to ensure that there is order in all that we do. Unless there is order, we will not get the right results. Unless the anti-corruption war is underpinned on due process, the respect of the rule of law, and a clear acceptance of the separation of powers – with our constitution as our guiding law, we will not achieve lasting and sustainable results.”
