Former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Olukayode Ariwoola, has declared that his conscience remains clear over every judgment he delivered during his time in office, stressing that all his decisions were made without bias.
Ariwoola, who served as CJN from 2022 to 2024, stated this in an interview with The PUNCH, noting that he handled all cases strictly on merit throughout his judicial career.
Before his elevation to the Supreme Court, Ariwoola served on the Election Petition Tribunals in Zamfara and Enugu States in 1999 and later on the Election Appeal Courts in Port Harcourt, Enugu, Benin, Yola, and Ilorin. He became a Justice of the Court of Appeal in 2005 and was sworn in as a Justice of the Supreme Court in 2011.
Reflecting on his years on the bench, the retired jurist said, “I handled cases strictly on merit. As Chairman of the Armed Robbery Tribunal for about three years, I delivered judgments based on evidence and the law. Those deserving of conviction were sentenced, and those who should be freed were discharged. I did so with a clear conscience and without regret.”
Addressing recent discussions about alleged religious bias and insecurity in the country, Ariwoola clarified that terrorism and kidnapping in Nigeria are not tied to religion.
He said, “The Boko Haram issue is not religious. Kidnapping and terrorism have nothing to do with religion. My eldest sister was a Baptist, and I used to attend church with her. There is no Christian song I cannot sing. Neither Christians nor Muslims should see each other as enemies — our God is a God of peace.”
