The National Association of Seadogs (Pyrates Confraternity) has called for a full inquiry over Friday’s siege by unidentified security operatives, to the residence of Supreme Court justice, Justice Mary Peter- Odili.
The siege has attracted national outrage and the NAS has demanded that any inquisition should begin with the Chief Magistrate, Emmanuel Iyanna, the alleged whistle blower, Aliyu Umar and CSP Lawrence Ajodo.
The NAS Capoon, Mr Abiola Owoaje in a press statement titled: “Preserving the Sanctity of Judicial Officers- Search Warrants and Law Enforcement†described the nocturnal siege to the residence of Justice Peter- Odili as reminiscent “in its brazen high-handedness and violent abruptness†the 2016 midnight invasions of the home of senior judicial officers across the country.
According to group with a repeat of the 2016 scenario “it is difficult to contest the suggestions that these unlawful incursions were orchestrated to embarrass and intimidate the judiciary.â€
“The National Association of Seadogs (Pyrates Confraternity) wishes to state, unambiguously, that this latest invasion of the home of the second highest judicial officer in Nigeria is an undisguised embarrassing act of intimidation and abuse of power. Until a justifiable explanation is offered for this abject manifestation of autocratic recklessness, the wretchedness of this disposition must be roundly and comprehensively deprecated. It is an abhorrent disregard for the rule of law; a condemnable and totally unacceptable affront on this country’s increasingly fragile democratic structures, and a gross violation of the fundamental human rights of Justice Peter-Odili,†Owoaje said.
According to NAS, the level of lawlessness and impunity which the incident represents is capable of thwarting gains made to strength democratic institutions such as the judiciary.
Owoaje demands the Federal Government to issue a public apology to the judiciary and urge President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure all those involved are fished out and sanction appropriately.
The statement read in part: The Federal Government need not be told to offer a public apology to the judiciary for this embarrassment and to act in a proactive manner in the conduct of this inquiry, especially to erase any suggestions of real or apparent complicity in a plainly brazen attempt to intimidate and emasculate the judiciary. The recklessness and impunity of security agents under the current dispensation has indeed assumed frightening dimensions. Disregard for the rule of law, a predilection for acts that pose grave danger to the independence of other arms of government and flagrant violations of democratic tenets which have become disturbingly habitual under the current government, should stop forthwith. There is no better way to demonstrate President Buhari’s avowed commitment to the independence of the judiciary than to ensure all those culpable in this disgraceful incident are identified and appropriately sanctioned. No lesser remedy would be sufficient.â€
About Author
