The Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike, said the construction of houses for judges in the FCT is to prevent them from living with criminals at rented apartments.
He also said the project is part of a welfare package for judges by President Bola Tinubu.
Mr Wike, who stated this during a media chat on Wednesday, said the project was captured in the 2024 budget and approved by the federal executive council.
He also dismissed allegations that the gesture is for the purpose of pocketing the judges for political gains.
The minister said: “[Tinubu said] ‘Where are the judges living? They have no homes and therefore open to political manipulation, and for me as a president who wants to guarantee the independence of the judiciary, judges must have their homes.
“I am not Mr President; I am only lucky to be appointed as a minister under this administration and who is in the position to implement his policies. And Mr President said, Look, this is what he wants; come up and see what we can do.
“It was approved by Mr President, sent to the National Assembly in the 2024 budget that there should be construction of judges and justices quarters. That they should move judges from where they are renting houses, living among criminals.
“A policy anybody should commend Mr President; it is in the budget of 2024, appropriated by the National Assembly, assented to by Mr President, which is a law. What is the problem? I am only the implementor, go and implement this.
“Federal Executive Council approved the contract and everything; it is not my policy, how will you now want to kill me that I am implementing what the Federal Government approved?”
