DSS Trailed Me For More Than 2 Years Over Unfavorable Judgment — Newly Retired Judge, Ifiok Ukana

Ifiok Ukana, a newly retired High Court judge in Akwa Ibom State has alleged that he was trailed for more than two years by operatives of the Department of State Service (DSS) after he delivered judgement on a particular case.

Speaking during a valedictory service organised for him by the Akwa Ibom state judiciary few days ago, Ukana described the incident as one of the most agonising moment in his life as a judge.

He also revealed that he had to buy his own casket because he was scared the alleged operatives of the secret police might kill him.

Ukana said, “The last two and a half years for me has been one of great pain and regret.

“I have shared with many of my learned brothers and they know my travails on the bench.

“The SSS was released against me from July 2017 up till this morning. If you come to my neighbourhood you’ll see them there. What are they looking for? What is their mission?

“I sit next to the chief judge, a believer, and a friend. But I regret to say in this moment of trial, he did not come to my aid.

“Several learned brothers raised the issue pointblank, I complained (to the chief judge) but the retort he made at a particular occasion left me pained, he said, ‘Who will believe you that these men are after you?’

“Ask anybody in my church, I don’t belong to the group that fancy long life, particularly in a country like Nigeria.

“In this country, a serving attorney general was killed and nothing happened!

“Let me reveal to you, I had to pay for my casket. I had to because these same men masquerading can kill me anytime.

“If a matter is decided and the principal litigant did not like it, why did he not appeal? Why resort to guerilla tactics and abuse of state authority to intimidate, to harass and cause me sleepless nights?” he said.

“A judge cannot be subservient, there is only one oath of allegiance which is to dispense justice without fear or favour, with ill will to none. And if I have done that and somebody sitting somewhere believing he is connected politically and hide under the shadow of rehabilitation into a new caucus and do this to me, then he has failed.

“The rehabilitation is one thing, being fully in control is another thing.”

Ukana further stated that Nigeria is going through turbulent times and lawyers must think of new ways to save the country.

He added, “All of us will not join the ruling party, all of us will not join the opposition either. But some of us will remain the conscience of the society – men who are driven by higher goals that will reform our society.

“If we are privileged to have three square meals, let us remember those living next to us who cannot afford one meal. High fences, iron gates, protectors are useless if the masses revolt.”