DSS promise more clampdown of corrupt judges .

It is being reported that the DSS plans to go after more corrupt judges and some senior lawyers across the country in the coming days.

Presently in the custody of the DSS are Justices INYANG OKORO and SYLVESTER NGWUTA of the Supreme Court; as well as Justice ADENIYI ADEMOLA of the Federal High Court, Abuja; and Justice KABIR AUTA of the Kano High Court.

Also detained are Justice MUAZU PINDIGA of Gombe High Court, Justice MOHAMMED TSAMIYA of the Court of Appeal in Ilorin, and the Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice I. A. UMEZULIKE.

Some lawyers who support the intervention of the DSS are of the opinion that the allegations of corruption against the judges are beyond the scope of the National Judicial Council.

One of such legal practitioners who hold this position is OKOI OBONO OBLA who is the Special Assistant to the President on Prosecution.

Meanwhile; the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, GARBA SHEHU, has assured that President MUHAMMADU BUHARI reserves his highest respect for the institution of the judiciary.

The Presidential spokesman also assured that President BUHARI will not do anything to undermine the independence of the judiciary as the third arm of government.

GARBA SHEHU disclosed in a statement that President BUHARI remains a committed democrat, in words and in his actions, and will not take any action in violation of the constitution.

In the statement, the Presidency explained that the surgical operation embarked upon by the DSS against some judicial officers is specifically targeted at corruption and not at the judiciary as an institution.

The Presidency expressed concern about the reportage of the issue in a section of the media, stressing that in undertaking the task of reporting, the media should be careful about the fault lines they open.

The Presidential spokesman said it was wrong to present this incident as a confrontation between the executive and judicial arms of government.

He said the Presidency has received assurances from the DSS that all due processes of the law, including the possession of search and arrest warrants were obtained before the searches.

GARBA SHEHU said to suggest that the government was acting outside the law in a dictatorial manner is to breach the interest of the state as incorrect.

There are also indications the leadership of the National Judicial Council has summoned a meeting to review the developments in the judiciary.