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LAGOS, July 18 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari says the judiciary must remain impartial in playing its role in the fight against corruption in the country.
Buhari stated this in Abuja, the nation's capital city on Monday while declaring open a workshop on the "Roles of Judiciary in the fight corruption".
The workshop was organized by the Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption in collaboration with National Judicial Institute, Commonwealth Secretariat and UNODC.
The president urged the judiciary to be in the forefront of efforts at developing rights-based jurisprudence as an element in the multi-disciplinary approach advocated in the fight against corruption.
According to him, the judiciary has a role to play in the fight against corruption by enforcing the applicable laws.
He said the judiciary had the sacred duty to ensure that criminal justice administration was not delayed.
Buhari, who frowned at what he called the use of delay tactics by some defense lawyers and prosecutors in corruption cases, said such habit was frustrating his administration's ongoing crusade against corruption.
According to him, an efficient and fair judiciary is key to the success of all anti-corruption initiatives.
The president said the fight against corruption would remain one of the top priorities of his administration in the hope of restoring the economy and building a new Nigeria.
He said the eradication of corruption was a joint task involving not only judges and members of the legal profession, but literally all stakeholders, including all levels of government, the media and the civil society.
Buhari observed that the future of anti-corruption efforts in Nigeria rested not only on functional preventive systems, but also on an effective sanctions and enforcement regime in accordance with the laws.
He stated that his administration is counting on the judiciary to assist in this regard.
He assured of the government's commitment to promoting and supporting the judiciary to establish a judicial system that is well-staffed, well-resourced, promotes and recognizes dedicated, committed and motivated Judges. Enditem
