The Pan Niger Delta Forum, (PANDEF) has condemned the raid on the residence of Justice Mary Odili, a Justice of Nigeria’s Supreme Court and wife of former Governor of Rivers State, Sir Peter Odili in Abuja. PANDEF, therefore, asked the Federal Government to offer a public apology to the Judiciary
Recall that some security operatives laid siege on the residence of the Supreme Court justice for hours on Friday eliciting uproar from the public.
In a statement on Saturday, the national publicity secretary of PANDEF, HKen Robinson, described the raid as crude.
“The raid, in dusk hours of last Friday, is not only crude and primitive but barbaric and dictatorial.
“It is another attempt by agents of the Buhari administration to further intimidate and humiliate the nation’s Judiciary.
“And this one of such actions too many, against persons of Southern extraction, particularly, persons from the South-South geopolitical zone,” he lamented.
PANDEF, in the statement, recalled that the “same nefarious manner that the Abuja residence of the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, was invaded in January 2019, which was considered by many as part of political machinations, leading to the 2019 General Election. Justice Walter Onnoghen was later suspended, made to face a ‘kangaroo’ trial over trumped-up charges, and was forced to retire.
“Earlier, in 2016, the DSS or SSS, in a Gestapo manner, raided the homes of John Okoro and Sylvester Ngwuta, who is now deceased, alongside the residences of Adeniyi Ademola, and Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court in Abuja.”
The South-South apex socio-cultural organisation called on all well-meaning and patriotic Nigerians to rise in unison and condemn the atrocious actions against citizens by the Federal Government and its agents.
The group also called on the International Community, especially the United Kingdom and the United States, “not to remain indifferent to the oppressive actions of the Nigerian government against its citizens.
“Nigeria is not an animal kingdom” and we cannot afford to let it plummet to that state; the ramifications would be catastrophic for the entire world.
“Those who ordered and carried out the scatological invasion of the home of Justice Mary Odili must be identified and punished appropriately. Enough of this nonsense!
“The government should also offer a public apology to the nation’s Judiciary, as well as, to the Honorable Justice of the Supreme Court.
“It is significant to note that Justice Mary Odili is the second most senior Justice of the Supreme Court.”
Credit: Nigerian Tribune