Nigeria’s senior lawyer, Rickey Tarfa is trending on Twitter today after 90 lawyers stormed the Lagos High Court on Tuesday to defend him against a two-count charge by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for obstruction of justice.
Some headlines got the facts wrong: The 90 lawyers were not all senior advocates of Nigeria. There were 15 of them, led by Chief Adeniyi Akintola. There were 75 other junior lawyers.
But Justice Aishat Opesanwo felt intimidated by the large number and said it was most unnecessary. She said the large number of wigs amounted to harassment and intimidation of the court.
Today, Nigerians expressed outrage over the ‘flooding’ of the court and some wonder where the value system of Nigeria has gone.
Here are some of the tweets:
Someone posted at this rate of turnt up of 90 SANs for tarfa, 84 senators for afonja , 100s of arm robbers will soon turnt up for their own
— Ademola Adeyemo (@Dem_zie) February 17, 2016
Naija where an accused persons will go to court wit 90 SANS or 81 Senators…and you think Alimodu Sheriff as PDP chairman is bad? Smh
— SJohnson (@sheeun11) February 17, 2016
If you're corrupt, don't appear in court alone, guard yourself with sufficient thugs; either 84 senators or 90 SANs
— Uchenna Obaji (@mondeuche) February 17, 2016
Steal from your country, face judiciary with 90 SANs, then coerce the jury into admitting error for summoning you in the court.
— Uchenna Obaji (@mondeuche) February 17, 2016
90 SANS going to court for one man says a lot about the decay in our values & morals in Nigeria. It's not even about if he's guilty or not
— Omo Jesu (@tosinadeda) February 17, 2016
84 Senators for Saraki 90 SANs for Ricky Tarfa, @bukolasaraki legacy, next army robber will storm court with 120 of his kind.
— Mohd Jamilu Gusau (@LokalPolitiks) February 17, 2016
In this week's episode of how to get away w/ crime in Nigeria : When charged to court, fill d court room w/ thugs, 90 SANs, or senators ??
— tsar (@thatTSAR) February 17, 2016
What has Nigeria turned to. 90 SANs escorted Tarfa to court. That reminds me the number of Senators who accompanied Saraki for his CCT trial
— Sen. Moh Aminu (@Sen_Moh) February 17, 2016
One tweet however explains the reason for the presence of the lawyers in court:
Too many illiterates on Twitter. The 90 Sans escorted Rickey Tarfa to protest their displeasure at Efcc not following due process only
— The Omonile Lawyer™ (@omonilelawyer) February 17, 2016
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