The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, has condemned in strong terms, the raid on the home of Justice of the Supreme Court, Mary Odili on Friday night by security operatives.
The NBA in a statement issued by their president, Olumide Akpata said it “interprets last night’s incident as a part of an orchestrated affront on the Judiciary, designed to intimidate and ridicule the Judiciary,” stressing that they “will no longer allow this to continue.”
The statement issued on Saturday, described the development as an “orchestrated attempt against the Judiciary” while frowning at the secrecy surrounding the raid as no organisation has claimed responsibility for the action.
The statement read in part: “The Nigerian Bar Association (“NBA”) received with grave concern the news of the unlawful siege on the Abuja residence of a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Honourable Justice Mary Ukaego Peter-Odili, last night by officers of one or more of the Nigerian security agencies.”
“Almost 24 hours later, information concerning the basis of the siege remains hazy and the subject of speculation, apart from reports that the invasion was pursuant to a search warrant issued by a Magistrate Court in Abuja, which search warrant has now been revoked.
“The Honourable 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.
“When viewed in the context of a similar raid on the premises of Supreme Court Justices in 2016, the rationale of which was never fully explained or indeed justified, the NBA interprets last night’s incident as a part of an orchestrated affront on the Judiciary, designed to intimidate and ridicule the Judiciary. The NBA will no longer allow this to continue.”
Speaking on the safety of Justice Odili, Akpata revealed that he has had a conversation with her on the matter and she’s okay.
“I have spoken with My Lord, Peter-Odili (JSC) and i am happy to report that she is alive and well. Beyond that however, It is my pledge to Nigerians that the NBA will get to the root of this matter.
“To be clear, last night’s event ls an affront on the Judiciary and grossly undermines the democracy that we profess to practise. 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.”
