The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike and leaders of Rivers State have issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Federal Government to bring to book the masterminds 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 if anything sinister happens 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 statement on behalf of Rivers State elders, federal and state lawmakers and council chairmen during a press briefing at the Transcop hotel, Abuja on Sunday.
Wike’s assertion was contained in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media and made available to newsmen in Port Harcourt on Sunday.
The governor said they have observed a pattern of persistent harassment of the Odili family in recent times by agencies of the federal government.
He recalled that on the day the Supreme Court nullified the election victory of the All Progressives Congress 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 recently Dr Odili had legitimately travelled out of the country for a medical check-up 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 human right, the immigration service eventually came up with spurious excuses 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 assassin 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.
(Punch)
