Wike, Rivers leaders give FG 48 hours to probe raid on Justice Odili’s residence

*Malami’s denial unsatisfactory, says Rivers gov

. *Imo lawyers accuse FG of intimidating judiciary

Governor Nyesom Wike and leaders of Rivers State have issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Federal Government to bring to book those behind the invasion of the residence of Justice Mary Odili of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in Abuja last Friday.

The Rivers leaders warned that should anything sinister happen to Justice Odili, her husband and former Governor of Rivers State, Dr/ Peter Odili, the Federal Government should be held accountable.

Governor Wike made this assertion on behalf of Rivers State elders, federal and state lawmakers and council chairmen during a press briefing at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja on Sunday.

The governor said they have observed a pattern of persistent harassment of the Odili family in recent times by alleged agents of the federal government.

He recalled that on a fateful day the Supreme Court nullified the election victory of the All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship candidate in Bayelsa State, hoodlums suspected to be political thugs invaded the residence of Justice Odili, but the federal government didn’t take any steps to bring the culprits to book.

Governor Wike noted that just recently, Dr Odili had legitimately travelled out of the country for medicals, but on his arrival, his international passport was confiscated for inexplicable reasons by the Immigration Service.

He said initially the federal government had feigned ignorance of the seizure of Odili’s passport.

But, after the former governor approached the court to enforce his fundamental right, the service eventually came up with a spurious excuse to justify their ignoble act.

Wike described as most worrisome last Friday’s invasion of the residence of Justice Odili by federal government security agencies that claimed they had a warrant issued by a Magistrate Court to search the property.

The governor noted that though the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice had denied involvement in the siege on Justice Odili’s residence, the people of Rivers State consider his mere denial as unsatisfactory.

He charged the federal government to within 48 hours apprehend all those involved in the raid of the residence of the Supreme Court justice, the alleged whistleblower and also interrogate the Magistrate who issued the order.

The governor said the people of Rivers State fear that the motive of those who invaded Odili’s residence may have been to assassinate the Supreme Court justice, her husband and children.

He declared that the lives of Justice Odili and her husband are important to the people of Rivers State and that the federal government must ensure nothing sinister happens to them.

Meanwhile, the five branches of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Imo State, on Sunday, accused the Federal Government of deliberately fighting to cow and intimidate the judiciary.

A statement issued by the chairmen of the five branches, J.I. Ogamba, Chairman, NBA Owerri Branch; Chief A.U. Ugboaja, Chairman, NBA Mbaise Branch; R.C. Ndeme, Chairman, NBA Okigwe Branch; B.A. Munonye, Chairman, NBA Orlu Branch and Chief Richard Anyanwu, Chairman, NBA Mbano/Etiti Branch described the invasion of the Abuja residence of a Supreme Court justice, Mary Odili, as “reprehensible, roguish and barbaric.”

They called for an investigation into the invasion, adding that the judiciary ought to be respected by the executive arm of government.

The statement reads: “On Friday, October 29, 2021, the Nigerian airwaves were inundated with the unfortunate news of the Gestapo-like 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 in a purported “sting operation” in 2016.

“Whereas the purported Order made by the Magistrate Court, Wuse, has been revoked by the Magistrate who made the 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, this goes 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.”