The Nigerian Bar Association has condemned the raid on the home of Supreme Court Justice, Mary Odili on Friday night by security operatives.
The association, in a statement on Saturday, signed by its President, Olumide Akpata, described the development as an ‘orchestrated attempt against the Judiciary’.
The statement, made available to this online medium, 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Magistrate Court in Abuja, which search warrant has now been revoked.”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.”
Akpata revealed that he has had a conversation with Justice Odili on the matter. “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 is 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 Rube 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.”
