A civil rights movement, Anti-Corruption Network, ACN has vowed to take legal actions if a panel set up by the Nigerian Police authority to investigate the recent raid on the residence of Justice Mary Odili of the Supreme Court, keeps away its findings from the public.
ACN is a statement made available to newsmen on Thursday, bemoaned the raid on the home of such a highly revered judicial officer in an abusive way by security agents.
The Executive Secretary of ACN and former Chairman, Senate Committee on Federal Capital Territory, Dino Melaye, who lamented the development while addressing the press in Abuja yesterday, described the invasion of Odili’s home as an assault on the judiciary, democracy and rule of law.
The former lawmaker said that the group will not stand by and watch the matter fade off like it never happened, but will be very alert in readiness, within the ambit of the laws and opportunities granted under democracy to do everything necessary including but not limited to taking legal actions to ensure that the investigation report of the raid is made public.
Having commended the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba for making an arrest and constituting a panel to investigate the raid, Melaye urged the police boss to make public findings on all reports relating to the incident.
Melaye said, “Justice Mary Odili is the second most senior judicial officer in Nigeria. The invasion of her residence is nothing but a mockery of our democracy and a foul miasma on the image of Nigeria. The invasion of her home is an assault on the judiciary, democracy and rule of law.
“The Anti-Corruption Network sees this invasion as the height of corruption and executive recklessness targeted at intimidating the judiciary. The raid is highly condemnable and should not be glossed over by any responsible government.
“Therefore, we urge the Federal Government to conduct a thorough investigation into the said incident and take needed actions against those found culpable.”
ACN again appealed to the Federal Government and the Inspector General of Police to do the needful in their investigation. “In an unjust society, silence is s crime,” Melaye noted.
Naija News understands that a search warrant was issued by a Chief Magistrate, Emmanuel Iyanna of Wuse Zone 6 magisterial division brought by officials who claimed to come from the Federal Ministry of Justice.
Iyanna had signed the search warrant based on an affidavit by a whistleblower named Aliyu Umar who claimed that illegal activities were going on at No. 9 Imo Street, Maitama, Abuja.
Based on the search warrant, the now discovered to be fake team moved to Justice Odili’s residence but they were reportedly resisted.
Subsequently, the Magistrate revoked the order, saying he was misled.
