Invasion, an affront on the Judiciary – NBA
It’s a national embarrassment – Secondus
By Emma Ogbuehi
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national chairman, Uche Secondus, have lent voices in condemning the Friday invasion of the residence of Supreme Court judge, Justice Mary Odili by security agents. NBA described the raid as an orchestrated affront intended to ridicule the judiciary, in a statement by its national president, Olumide Akpata.
Secondus who spoke through his media adviser, Ike Abonyi, described the invasion as huge embarrassment to the nation and an insult on the judiciary.
According to NBA, events such as the affront on the Supreme Court Justice’s home erode the independence of sacred democratic institutions like the Judiciary, undermine the rule of law in Nigeria, and set the country back in the quest to instill confidence in citizens of Nigeria, Nigerian businesses, and foreign investors.
The Lawyers expressed shock at the raid, especially as the Attorney-General of the Federation under whose office the team that purportedly carried out the raid is allegedly domiciled has also denounced the team, which suggests the inference that the residence of the second most senior judicial officer in Nigeria was raided by rogue security agencies. The grave implications of this possibility leave a lot to be desired, they added.
Akpata vowed that NBA would get to the root of the matter.
“To be clear, last night’s event is an affront on the Judiciary and grossly undermines the democracy that we profess to practice. In line with the aims and objectives of the NBA which include the protection and defence of the independence of the Judiciary and the Rule of Law in Nigeria, we will be convening an emergency meeting of the NBA National Executive Committee solely to discuss this issue and take a definitive stand on behalf of the NBA.
“I will also lead a delegation to the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN and the relevant heads of security agencies to seek further clarification on the circumstances of this incident. Thereafter, the NBA will ensure that all those responsible for this unfortunate incident are brought to book. We must do all that is required to safeguard the independence of our Judiciary and indeed protect our hard-won democracy”, the statement stressed.
On his part, Secondus remarked that nothing can explain the embarrassing act of the security operatives on a Judge who has put in much in the service of her fatherland.
He said that relevant authorities should come clean on what informed such ignoble and dishonourable behavior and render unreserved apology to the Justice and the Judiciary.
“It’s our responsibility as a democratic nation to ensure the continued sanctity of the judiciary as a critical component of democracy”
Prince Secondus frowned at the frequent harassment of the judiciary by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration pointing out that it does not tell well on the country’s democratic credentials and the respect for the doctrine of separation of power.
He also noted that the development calls for more diligence on the part of judicial officers in responding to search warrant requests from overzealous officials of the executive.
