Justice Uwani Musa Abba Aji, who is retiring from his position on the Supreme Court, has said that the seven-member panel was misunderstood, which led to the travel ban placed on them by the US government.
On Friday in Abuja, the supreme court justice from Yobe revealed the news, explaining that the justices were still being held up by the US travel ban.
However, Justice Abba Aji, speaking at a valedictory session of the Supreme Court given in her honour, pointed out that the ban was simply one of the inconveniences that judicial personnel had to endure in order to maintain the integrity of justice.
Once Abba Aji reaches the obligatory retirement age of 70 on November 7, he will legally step down from his position on the Supreme Court.
“My time on the Supreme Court bench was filled with challenges, some of which have served as additional opportunities to stand firm on the side of justice, regardless of the consequences,” she recalled, adding, “One such challenging judgement was widely misinterpreted and led to a travel ban to the United States of America being imposed on all members of the panel, a ban which still holds today.”
Justice Abba Aji also recalled 2016 as the year when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) called her while she was on a program in Washington DC, USA, to inform her that they wanted her attention in Lagos, Nigeria, about a petition against her.
During the course of the investigations, she was cleared of all charges, she said, explaining that the petition had made her a frequent visitor to the EFCC office, where she had been interrogated about corruption claims about which she knew nothing.
In spite of the exoneration, she expressed her dismay at the state of affairs, saying that she had a hard time coping with the defamation that pervaded the media and that, to make matters worse, the conservative bent of the judiciary prevented her from publicly defending herself.
As he stepped down from his position, the chief justice urged the next generation of judges to follow the path of justice and never compromise their principles.
Judgement is a trust, not just a job, and she urged serving judges to serve with bravery and modesty.
The Chief Justice of India remarked that Justice Abba Aji’s distinguished career in law and the judiciary was an inspiration to women everywhere.
Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, spoke at the event as well. He praised Justice Abba Aji for her decision that helped establish the EFCC, ICPC, and NFIU, which have all helped the Nigerian government fight corruption. Aji also spoke at the event.