By Emma Ogbuehi
Chairmen of the five branches of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Imo State on Sunday strongly condemned the invasion of the Abuja residence of Justice Mary Odili by unknown security men.
Security men on Friday invaded the residence of Odili, a Justice of the Supreme Court (JSC).
Though the assault was scuttled by security details attached to the Odili home, the move has elicited national outrage.
A statement by the committee of chairmen of the NBA branches in Imo State, which was signed by J.I. Ogamba, Esq. (Owerri Branch), Chief A.U. Ugboaja, KSC (Mbaise Branch), R.C. Ndeme, Esq. (Okigwe Branch), B.A. Munonye, Esq. (Orlu Branch), and Chief Richard Anyanwu (Mbano/Etiti Branch) called for a thorough investigation into the sequence of events culminating into the invasion.
Describing the incident as “a continuation of the unrelenting attempts and efforts by the government of the day to intimidate and cow the judiciary,” chairmen of the NBA branches in Imo State insisted that all those found culpable must be dealt with in accordance with the laws of the land.
The statement which was made available to TheNiche reads:
“On Friday, 29th October, 2021, the Nigerian airwaves were inundated with the unfortunate news of the Gestapolike invasion/siege by unknown security agents, at the Abuja residence of Honourable Justice Mary Ukaego Peter-Odili, JSC.
“This barbaric invasion is reminiscent of the better-forgotten and unsavoury invasions of the houses of justices and judges by officers of the Department of State Services [DSS] in a purported “sting operation” in 2016.
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“Whereas the purported Order made by the Magistrate Court, Wuse, has been revoked by the Magistrate who made same; whereas all the relevant security agencies have denied involvement in this unfortunate incident; and whereas the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, has come out to deny knowledge of this barbaric action by rogue security agencies, these go to show that the shield bearers of our democracy [Judiciary] are now easy preys to the same security agencies who are meant to protect them.
“Lawyers in Imo State strongly condemn this reprehensible, roguish, barbaric and abominable invasion of the residence of the Honourable Justice Mary Ukaego Peter-Odili, JSC, who is the second most senior Justice of the Supreme Court.
“We view this incident as a continuation of the unrelenting attempts and efforts by the Government of the day to intimidate and cow the Judiciary.
“Furthermore, we call for a thorough investigation into the sequence of events culminating into this invasion, and for all those culpable to be dealt with in accordance with the laws of the land.
“This is to serve as a deterrent to would-be overzealous security agents and their collaborators in power who may be tempted to embarrass and ridicule the Judiciary.”