As mixed reactions continues to trail the arrest of Judges by the Department of State Security Service (DSS), indications have emerged that the action of the Nigerian secret police was actually bolstered by the attitude of the National Judicial Commission (NJC).

Critics have opined that the DSS ought to have sought the consent and intervention of the NJC before arresting the judicial officers over crimes bordering on corruption and professional misconduct, a position that human rights lawyer, Effiong Inibehe disagrees with.

Inibehe said the NJC cannot and should not usurp the constitutional cum statutory functions of the law enforcement agencies to investigate crimes, arrest, detain or prosecute any person, including judicial officers, for alleged crimes.

But giving details into events that led to the arrest, a top Security said is quoted as saying that the arrest of the judges took a dramatic turn weekend because of the National Judicial Council (NJC) refusal to allow the DSS question the affected judges.

The weekend raid was “sequel to lack of cooperation by National Judicial Council; such as refusal by the NJC to allow the affected persons to be questioned by the DSS.”

He said the graft investigation against the judges “started some seven months ago, precisely in April 2016.”

Meanwhile, the DSS has released the seven Judge arrested during a nationwide sweep between Friday and Saturday.

They were reportedly released Sunday night on personal recognition.

“They reported this morning (Monday) and they have all gone back home. They will be coming back tomorrow. And everything went very procedurally well and civil.

“They were released on bail on self recognition based on the fact that given their standing in the society, they cannot run away. They were instructed that they should come back today by 10am.

“They did report for investigation this morning and they have gone back home. And the investigation continues and preparation to charge them to court continued.”