The group asked the Muhammadu Buhari-led government to apologise to Justice Odili over the incident.
A human rights’ group, Concerned Nigerians for the Protection of Human Rights and Rule of Law Initiative, has condemned the raid on the residence of Supreme Court Justice, Mary Odili, by security operatives, saying it is yet another frontal attack on the independence and integrity of the judiciary.
Security operatives had on Friday night invaded the house of the Supreme Court Justice based on information that “illegal activities” were going on there.
The spokesperson of the group, Theophilus Abuh Agada, in a statement asked the Muhammadu Buhari-led government to apologise to Justice Odili over the incident.
The statement read, “We condemn in strong terms, the invasion of the apartment of Nigeria’s Supreme Court judge, Justice Mary Odili, by security operatives on Friday night.
“You will recall on October 29, 2021, a team of security operatives reported to be a combination of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Nigerian police and the Department of State Services’ agents, stormed the Hon Justice Odili's official apartment in Maitama, Abuja, in an attempt to execute a search warrant issued by a Chief Magistrate, Emmanuel Iyanna, in the FCT judiciary.[story_link align="left"]100676[/story_link]
“Concerned Nigerians join the rest of Nigerians in condemning this heinous abuse of power against Justice Odili, the Supreme Court's second most senior justice behind the present Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad.
“It is ironic to note that on a day the Nigerian Bar Association drew the curtain on its annual conference, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where the rule of law was a reoccurring theme, state agents, posing as security officers, invaded the home of a Nigerian Supreme Court Justice, on the basis of a worthless affidavit deposed to by a whistle blower and an unidentified police officer. [story_link align="left"]100654[/story_link]
“We note with concern that the EFCC and the office of the Attorney General of the Federation have denied been involved in the raid, while the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian police have refused to issue any statement on the raid. We must categorically state that this is an attempt to intimate Justice Odili and the entire judiciary in general. The Buhari administration must recognise that the foundation of a democratic government lies in the unwavering adherence to the principles of the rule of law and respect for fundamental human rights.
“We, therefore, demand that everyone remotely involved in this show of shame must be held accountable and sanctioned, beginning with the Magistrate who issued the search warrant without satisfying himself that the minimum requirement has been met.[story_link align="left"]100659[/story_link]
“We also demand that the Federal Government should, as a matter of urgency, issue an apology to the Hon Justice Mary Peter-Odili for the unwarranted invasion of her apartment and flagrant breach of her constitutionally guaranteed right to privacy.
“Finally, we call on the authorities to launch an investigation into this needless and unfortunate attack on the judiciary.”