By Daniel Edu
Elisha Abbo, the ex-senator representing Adamawa North, has called upon the European Union (EU), the United States, and the United Kingdom to impose a visa ban on Nigerian judges involved in corruption. Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Monday, Abbo insisted that judges and their families should be prohibited from leaving the country, asserting that they should face the consequences for allegedly damaging the nation.
Abbo’s plea comes about a week after he urged the National Judicial Council (NJC) to investigate Chioma Nwosu-Iheme, the lead judge of the court of appeal panel that removed him from office. Reiterating his accusations on Monday, Abbo claimed that Nwosu-Iheme had nullified election results in over 200 polling units where he had emerged victorious. He argued that the results were invalidated based on technicalities involving parties that did not even participate in the election.
During the press conference, Abbo stated, “We had cases under Buhari in 2016 where judges were sued to court, and if they continue, I will sue her. She should resign.” He further expressed his intention to press for her resignation when she reaches the Supreme Court.
In his efforts to address the alleged corruption within the judiciary, Abbo revealed that he had written to the American embassy in Nigeria and directly to the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken. He called on the US, the European Union, and the UK to include corrupt judges on the list of individuals subjected to visa bans, extending the ban to their families. Abbo emphasized that these judges and their families should not be allowed entry into the US, and if their children are already there, they should be deported back to Nigeria.
He concluded with a strong statement, declaring, “You cannot destroy this country and send your children abroad. We die here!”
