Justice Odili’s home invasion fallout: Don’t make Judiciary the weeping child, S’Court warns other arms of govt

*Orders full-scale independent probe of invasion of Justice Odili’s home

*Alleges perpetrators wanted to kill her

*Says Judiciary can’t only bark, but can also bite

*SANs storm CJN, AGF offices in protest, insist Govt must unearth those behind incident

ANDREW OROLUA, ABUJA

The Supreme Court of Nigeria has warned that the Judiciary should never be misconstrued by any individual or institution of government as the weeping child among the three arms of government.

The apex court also warned that the Judiciary should not be taken as the arm of government “that must always be chastised and ridiculed to silence because of our conservative disposition.”

The Supreme Court issued the warning on Tuesday in a statement signed by Dr. Akande Festus, Director of Press and Information, after about 20 Senior Advocates of Nigeria led by Chief Adegboyinga Awomolo (SAN), stormed the office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Muhammad, in protest over the invasion of the residence of Justice Mary Peter-Odili.

“We are alarmed with the news of the unwarranted and despicable raid on the official residence of one of our senior justices in the Supreme Court, Hon. Justice Mary Peter Odili, JSC, CFR, on Friday, 29th October, 2021 in a Gestapo manner,” the Apex Court said.

The statement said that unfortunately the incident “depicted a gory picture of war by some armed persons suspected to be security operatives representing different agencies of government, who seemed to have come to kill and maim their target under the guise of undertaking a search whose warrant was questionable and baseless.”

“We are deeply saddened and taken aback by this uncivilized and shameful show of primitive force on an innocent judicial officer that has so far spent several years of her productive life serving the country she calls her own.

“This incident brought back, rather painfully, the ugly memory of the October 2016 midnight invasion of the homes of our respected justices with no satisfactory explanations as to the true motive behind such brazen assault on our collective sensibility.

“We wish to make it abundantly clear that the Nigerian Judiciary is the third arm of the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and should be respected and treated as such.

“We have had a full dosage of this fusillade of unwarranted and unprovoked attacks on our judicial officers and even facilities across the country and we say it loudly now that enough is enough.

“The judiciary should never be misconstrued by any individual or institution of government as the weeping child among the three arms of government that must always be chastised and ridiculed to silence because of our conservative disposition.

“Though there have emerged discordant tunes from the various security agencies that allegedly participated in the dastardly act, we are not lying low on this dehumanizing treatment meted out to one of our own.

“We have commenced a full-scale independent investigation to unravel the true masquerades behind the mystery as well as the real motives behind the whole imbroglio.

“Similarly, we call on the Inspector General of Police of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to rise up to the occasion by carrying out a discreet investigation and make his findings known to the Nigerian public with a view to bringing the perpetrators to justice as quickly as possible.

“The Nigerian Judiciary cannot only bark, but can also bite. We can no longer be treated with disdain and levity. The rule of law and constitutionality must govern our conduct so that we can tag along with the comity of nations and be taken seriously too,” the Apex Court added.

Meanwhile, the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria earlier on Tuesday stormed the offices of Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) and Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Muhammad, in protest over the invasion of the residence of a Justice of Supreme Court, Mary Peter-Odili, by security operatives.

Some security operatives claiming to be under the “Joint Panel Recovery unit of the Federal Ministry of Justice” had Friday last week stormed the Abuja home of Justice Mary Odili with a search warrant from a Chief Magistrate Court.

Speaking with journalists after a closed door meeting with Abubakar Malami (SAN) at the Federal Ministry of Justice Abuja, the leader of Senior Advocates of Nigeria in Abuja, Chief Adegboyinga Awomolo (SAN), said they are concerned about the incident, insisting that government must unearth those behind that national disgrace.

“We have come to see the AGF concerning the unfortunate and ugly invasion of the residence of Justice Mary Odili of the Supreme Court last Friday by yet-to-be identified security operatives.

“When judges’ lives, careers, security and safety, when their independence is threatened, then democracy is also threatened.

“The AGF has said he did not have knowledge of the incident and he had written a letter of complaint to the Inspector General of Police for a thorough investigation as demonstration of his sincerity,” Awomolo said.

He said Malami told them that “he is open to be investigated if there is any information that connects him to the incident”.

“We are going to meet with the Chief Justice of Nigeria and let him know that the Body of SANs is very concerned about the lives, security and safety of our judicial officers anywhere and everywhere.

“This incident appears to be in isolation but we cannot let it be swept under the carpet.

“The incident must be investigated and investigated thoroughly.

“Nigerians are interested in this matter. It should not be politicised; it’s a matter of grave, political and constitutional importance.

“There are three Arms of Government; the Executive, the Legislature and Judiciary. One is not supposed to be in ambush or overriding the other or threaten the other’s existence, otherwise democracy is at risk”.

Awomolo said the incident was meant to tramp on the independence of the Judiciary by intimidating the justices to cow them. “We, the senior lawyers would not allow this.”

Meanwhile, Malami on Tuesday after the meeting reiterated his innocence. He completely exonerated himself, saying he is open to investigation.

Malami, who spoke through his media aide, Dr. Umar Gwandu, said, “Neither the Federal Government nor the office of the AGF is involved in the invasion of the Abuja home of Justice Mary Odili.

The Maitama home of Justice Mary Odili was on Friday invaded by a Joint Panel Recovery unit of the Federal Government comprising the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Nigerian Police, and the Federal Ministry of Justice.

The panel had invaded the residence of the high ranking Supreme Court Justice, claiming it had a warrant from Chief Magistrate Emmanuel Iyanna, to search the home of Dr. Peter Odili.

Justice Mary is the wife of Dr. Peter Odili, who served as Governor of Rivers State from 1999 to 2007.

A medical doctor by profession, Dr. Odili also served as Rivers State deputy governor between 1992 and 1993.