‘Unfortunate development’ — reps committee condemns Odili home invasion

The house of representatives committee on the judiciary has called for an investigation into the invasion of the residence of Mary Odili, a justice of the supreme court.

On Friday, security operatives invaded the house of Odili on the claim that “illegal activities” were going on there.

The warrant presented to search the property was issued by Emmanuel Iyanna, a chief magistrate at Wuse zone 6 magistrate court, in favour of one Lawrence Ajodo, identified as a chief superintendent of police and a member of the investigation team under the asset tax recovery panel of the ministry of justice.

The warrant, however, did not bear the name or the correct residential address of the supreme court justice.

While Odili’s address is 7, Imo river street, Maitama, the address on the warrant is 9, Imo street, Maitama.

The magistrate has since revoked the warrant.

In a statement on Sunday, Onofiok Luke, chairman of house committee on judiciary, said the “unfortunate development” is a wake-up to tighten the supervision of operations of law enforcement agencies in the country.

Luke said the committee empathises with Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation, whose office is “constitutionally accountable for the actions and inactions of the law enforcement agents”.

“This unfortunate development is also a wake-up call to tighten administrative and supervisory control over the operations of law enforcement agencies in the country,” the statement reads.

“To this end, we empathize with the honourable attorney-general of the federation who is constitutionally accountable for the actions.

“And inactions of the law enforcement agents that purportedly executed the said warrant, placing on the AGF, the unavoidable burden of defending his office before the populace.

“On this note, the house of representative committee on the judiciary calls for a discreet investigation to unravel the persons behind this ignoble act, which is capable of straining the existing relationship between the judiciary and the executive arms of our democratic government.

“The siege, is reminiscent of the 2016 incident, where in the beat of the night, security agencies invaded private residences of judicial officers, which subsequently turned out as an underserved phenomenon, and a dent on our professed independence of the judiciary, and demanding protection for our judges.

“As we already know, the judiciary harps on due process in dispensation of justice and the house committee on the Judiciary avows to collaborate with the judiciary and relevant stakeholders to secure the nation’s democracy, since the confidence and respect of citizens in the judiciary may likely wane if incidence of this nature continues unchecked.

“We therefore condemn in totality such ignoble action, and pledge to every effort at ensuring the sanctity of the nation’s judiciary while giving our continuous support to the independence of the judiciary.”