As the storm raised by last week’s raid by security operatives on the Abuja home of Supreme Court Justice Mary Odili continues to rumble, lawyers in this edition of Law and Human Rights give their verdicts on the unfortunate development.
The Supreme Court had earlier this week condemned the raid, describing it as uncivilised and a shameful show of primitive force.
The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Body of Senior Advocate of Nigeria, BOSAN and other stakeholders had also condemned the raid and warned of the consequences of such dangerous action.
Govt agencies denial unacceptable — Daudu(SAN)
Former NBA Chairman, Joseph Daudu, SAN, in his response, said: “I think a denial will be tenuous and unacceptable in the circumstances.
“It is a case where a denial cannot hold water. It will also be wrong and unprofessional for the Press to run with the deflated excuse given by Government departments of unknown invaders.
“This is because the Magistrate that signed the warrant knows those who requested him to sign the nameless warrant for them.
“From that point, it is clear that the Nigerian State Apparatus was involved in one way or the other with the invasion.
“This however does not answer the question of whodunnit. Was it the official government agency or fifth columnists or even rouge cells within government that carried out the illegal and dastardly operation on Justice Odili’s home and by so doing invaded her privacy and disturbed her well deserved peace?
“That is a matter for Government as elected in its sincerity to answer. This is the time for Minister of Information to provide all necessary information to the good people of Nigeria on the matter.
“If however Government does as expected and strives to close the matter by sweeping the mess under the carpet, we will as a people understand and make the necessary amends come 2023 by taking full control of the process of electing a new Government in place which Government must be accountable to the people.”
