Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Alkali Usman has ordered the Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB) to conduct detailed investigations into the invasion of the Abuja residence of Justice Mary Odili.
He also directed the Federal Capital Police Command to beef up security around the Supreme Court Justice, who is also the wife of a former Rivers State Governor, Dr. Peter Odili.
The IGP distanced the Police from the siege on her residence and vowed that anyone found culpable would be made to face the law.
Also yesterday, the Senate, Bayelsa State Governor Duoye Diri, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, two Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), and the Imo State chapter of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) condemned the siege.
Odili’s home was invaded on Friday by security operatives who claimed to be executing a Chief Magistrate Court search warrant.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Justice Minister, Abubakar Malami, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Department of State Services(DSS) had all denied knowledge of the incident.
In a statement yesterday, IGP Usman said the leadership of the Police did not at any time order operatives to carry out such assignment. He described the siege as ”unfortunate and unacceptable.”
The statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, quoted the IGP as also promising that the outcome of the probe would be made public.
He assured members of the judiciary and other Nigerians of their safety.
Also in Abuja, the Senate said it would debate the siege on Odili’s home on resumption of plenary.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters Opeyemi Bamidele, said the debate would come under ”matter urgent of national importance.”
Bamidele said: “We cannot pretend not to be unaware of the embarrassing situation on the invasion of the residence of Justice Mary Odili on Friday night by security agents without joining issues with anyone.
“We take the matter seriously and by the time we are back to the plenary session, we will discuss the incident as a matter of urgent of national importance.”
Bayelsa State Governor Diri condemned the raid as “an ill-advised sting operation”and an attempt to intimidate the judiciary..
He called on the Federal Government not to only investigate the incident but to also ensure that those found culpable were sanctioned.
The governor reasoned that such acts by security agencies made a mockery of the country’s democracy and the principle of separation of powers.
His words: “Nigeria is not Banana Republic that security operatives would just take the laws into their hands. The raid on Justice Mary Odili’s residence is highly condemnable and should not be glossed over by any responsible government.
“I urge the Federal Government to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident and take needed actions against those found culpable.
“For me, the ill-advised raid was an attempt to intimidate the judiciary, judicial officers, and custodians of the highest temple of justice. It is yet another attack on Justices in our country that deserves condemnation and should not be allowed to happen again.”
Ohanaeze Ndigbo called on the Federal Government to apologise to Nigerians for the incident.
The organisation lamented that Nigeria was in the news, most of the time, for the wrong reasons.
Ohanaeze said it was ethically reprehensible and globally unacceptable for the Executive to invade the home of a senior member of the judicial arm of the government, in this case, a Supreme Court Judge.
“It is simply a mockery on democracy and a foul miasma on the image of Nigeria. The siege to her home is an assault on several institutions; womanhood, judiciary, democracy, rule of law, civil society, and indeed all facets of humanity,” the group said in a statement by its spokesman, Alex Ogbonnia.
The two SANs—Femi Falana and Yemi Akinseye-George— also condemned the raid, saying it was an affront on judicial independence and a threat to democracy.
Falana urged the National Judicial Council (NJC) to take up the matter with President Muhammadu Buhari.
He also asked the NBA to follow up on the investigation and prosecution of the invaders.
“Never in the history of this country has a Justice of the Supreme Court been subjected to such embarrassment over his or her decision,” Falana lamented.
Akinseye-George said during an experts workshop by the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies (CSLS) in Abuja, that: ”the siege was reminiscent of a 2016 incident wherein the dead of night security agencies simultaneously invaded the private residence of judicial officers.
“This latest action is a major setback to the attainment of judicial independence and a further blot on the nation’s democratic credentials,” he added.
The Imo State chapter of the NBA said ”the invasion is reminiscent of the better-forgotten and unsavoury invasions of the houses of justices and judges by officers of DSS in a purported ‘sting operation’ in 2016.”
It argued in a statement that the denials by Malami and the relevant security agencies “show that the shield-bearers of our democracy (Judiciary) now easy prey to the same security agencies who are meant to protect them”.
The statement was signed by the five branch chairmen of the chapter: Mr. J.I. Ogamba (Owerri), Chief A.U. Ugboaja (Mbaise), Mr R.C. Ndeme (Okigwe), Mr B.A. Munonye (Orlu) and Chief Richard Anyanwu (Mbano/Etiti).
The Nation
