Retiring S’Court Justice warns judges against ‘Greek Gifts’

Retiring Justice of the Supreme Court, Ibrahim Mohammed Musa Saulawa, has urged judicial officers to reject gifts from politicians and litigants, warning that such gestures could compromise the neutrality and impartiality of the Judiciary.

Justice Saulawa gave the warning on Tuesday in Abuja during a special court session held at the Supreme Court to mark his retirement from the apex court Bench upon attaining the mandatory retirement age of 70.

He urged judicial officers to cultivate contentment, integrity, morality and honesty in the discharge of their responsibilities, saying judges must be able to perform their duties without fear or favour.

Saulawa described gifts offered by politicians and litigants as potentially dangerous inducements that could create compromising situations for judicial officers.

“Gifts, especially from politicians, can be tempting and irresistible, but judges must be firm in rejecting such offers because they are associated with dangers that can make one fall into traps in the dispensation of justice,” he said.

The retiring Justice recalled an incident from his days on the Magistrate’s Court Bench in Katsina when a prominent fuel and motor dealer, Alhaji Ali Bagobiri, offered him a Peugeot 504 car.

Saulawa said he rejected the vehicle despite efforts by Bagobiri to persuade him to accept it, including seeking the intervention of the then Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Muhammadu Kabir Usman, and other prominent indigenes.

According to him, the incident later assumed greater significance when Bagobiri and others were arraigned before him after running afoul of the law.

Saulawa said the defendants were convicted and each sentenced to a fine of N7,000, while the victim of the assault was awarded N10,000 in damages.

He said the experience reinforced the importance of judicial officers maintaining a clear distance from gifts and favours that could create an appearance of indebtedness or influence.

The retiring Justice also specifically raised concern about gifts such as cows and rams reportedly sent to judges by politicians during festive periods, describing the practice as inappropriate and calling for measures to address it.

He therefore charged judicial officers not to accept gifts in the course of performing their official duties, stressing that doing so could compromise their judgment and undermine the integrity of the adjudicatory process.

Saulawa also commended his fellow Justices of the Supreme Court for the camaraderie, affection and professional experience they shared during his years on the Bench.

He urged them to continue to uphold the integrity of the Judiciary and preserve public confidence in the institution.

Earlier, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Motonmori Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun, commended Saulawa for his contributions to the development of the Nigerian Judiciary.

The CJN described the occasion as an opportunity to celebrate a distinguished judicial officer whose career had traversed virtually every level of the Nigerian Judiciary.

“Today, we gather in this hallowed court to mark the retirement of a distinguished judicial officer, a respected jurist and, above all, a man whose life has been defined by service,” she said.

Kekere-Ekun said Saulawa’s retirement provided an opportunity to reflect on a career spanning more than four decades and to acknowledge his contribution to the administration of justice.

She added that the retiring Justice’s firmness and contributions would be missed on the Supreme Court Bench.

Justice Saulawa was born on September 29, 1956, in Katsina, Katsina State. He obtained his Bachelor of Laws degree from Bayero University, Kano, in 1981 and was called to the Nigerian Bar on July 2, 1982.

He began his judicial career as a Magistrate Grade II in the Kaduna State Judiciary in 1983 and later served as Chief Magistrate in the Katsina State Judiciary. He was appointed a Judge of the Katsina State High Court in 1994.

He was elevated to the Court of Appeal on June 10, 2006, where he served in several judicial divisions, including as Presiding Justice of the Calabar, Ilorin and Port Harcourt divisions.

On November 10, 2020, he was elevated to the Supreme Court of Nigeria. The apex court’s official profile also records his contributions to legal scholarship and education, as well as his involvement in several national and international judicial programmes.

The valedictory session was attended by former Chief Justices of Nigeria, Justice Mahmoud Mohammed and Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, as well as the Deputy Governor of Katsina State and other senior members of the legal and judicial community.

With his retirement, Justice Saulawa brings to a close more than four decades of service in Nigeria’s legal and judicial profession.

Justice Ibrahim Mohammed Musa Saulawa joined the Kaduna State Judiciary in 1983 and subsequently rose through the ranks, serving as a magistrate, Chief Magistrate and High Court Judge before his elevation to the Court of Appeal in 2006.

He joined the Supreme Court in November 2020 and participated in numerous appellate proceedings before attaining the mandatory retirement age of 70 on September 29, 2026. The Supreme Court’s official profile lists his career progression from the Kaduna and Katsina judiciaries through the Court of Appeal to the apex court.