*The apex Court Justice’s whereabouts unknown
*As Magistrate withdraws controversial search warrant
*EFCC deny being part of the the invasion
By Ada Okafor
Amid the controversy, denials and confusion trailing the infamous invasion of the residence of Justice Mary Peter Odili late Friday night, the Chief Magistrate that issued a controversial search warrant, which led to the security breach has same Friday night withdrawn the warrant, accusing the government of misleading the court.
The Magistrate, Emmanuel Iyanna, claimed he was misled by government and subsequently counteracted the warrant.
according to him, “upon misrepresentation to this Honourable Court that led to the issuance of a search warrant in favour of Joint Panel Recovery, Ministry of Justice, against House 9, Imo Street, Maitama, Abuja, dated October 29, 2021.
“In view of the above fact, the said search warrant is hereby revoked.”
The government joint panel being coordinated by the Federal Ministey of Justice includes the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigerian Police and the Department of State Security (DSS).
As at press time, the whereabouts of Justice Odili is unknown as she has not been cited either in the house (the correct address of which is on House 9 Imo River Street, Maitama, Abuja) or environ.
Also, no member of her immediate family has been spotted since the failed attempt to violate her peaceful enjoyment of her residence, without any prior Court service, information, security invitation or petition known to any member of the family.
Meanwhile, the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has described the invasion as irresponsible and stupid and a breach of national security.
It was gathered from documents cited later this morning by The AUTHORITY that the panel coordinated by the Ministry of Justice, had obtained a search warrant from a Magistrate Court after a whistleblower, Aliyu Umar, claimed to have observed unclear “illegal activities going on at No. 9, Imo Street, Maitama, Abuja”.
Umar’s affidavit (cited by The AUTHORITY) dated October 13, 2021, read in part: “I have observed some illegal activities (not clearly defined) going on in those houses within Abuja are illegal and hereby report the said matter to the law enforcement agency.
‘“I hereby state that all information provided by me to the EFCC is true and correct to the best of my knowledge.”
Following Umar’s depositions (which to the knowledge of this medium was not discretely investigated) a second affidavit deposed to by a senior police officer, CSP Lawrence Ajodo, indicated that the panel applied to the Chief Magistrate seeking a search warrant to search the house.
The Chief Magistrate, Emmanuel Iyanna, subsequently approved the search warrant on Friday, October 29, 2021.
Armed with the search warrant, the police and other members of the panel stormed the house, the home of Supreme Court Justice Mary Odili.
Meanwhile, the EFCC has denied carrying out any operation in the home.
spokesman of the anti-graft agency, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said in a short statement denied that EFCC did not carry out the raid.
His words: “The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has been drawn to claims that operatives of the Commission today, October 29, 2021 stormed the Maitama, Abuja home of a Judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Mary Odili, purportedly to execute a search.
The Commission by this statement wishes to inform the public that the report is false as it did not carry out any operation at the home of Justice Odili.
“If there was any such operation as claimed by the media, it was not carried out by the EFCC.
“The Commission enjoins the public to discountenance the report.”
Eyewitnesses had reported that at least 50 operatives had arrived at the Justice’s residence on Friday evening and attempted to break into the premises but for the resistance put by security details attached to Justice Odili and her domestic staff members.
Meanwhile in a statement on Friday, the Chairman of the Media Committee Coalition of the United Political Parties (CUPP), Chukwudi Ezeobika, said: “It remains inconceivable how agencies of the Nigerian
government could engage in actions that violate rights, constitutionally provided for and guaranteed by the Constitution, especially those of Judicial Officers and in particular, the rights of the Justices of the Supreme Court, without regards to extant Laws.
“Having set this ugly and negative precedent with the unlawful ousting of a former Supreme Court Justice and Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen in 2019, the Mohamadu Buhari led APC Government has once more shown to Nigerians and the International Community that it has no regards and or respect for the Rule of Law and the Judiciary.
“We view this forced invasion and continued
harassment and intimidation of Judicial Officers as an act of terror and call for an immediate investigation of the Chairman of the EFCC and all officers involved in this reckless and irresponsible conduct with a view to bringing them to Justice.”
“With the worsening security and economic situation in Nigeria occasioned by unprecedented ineptitude on the part of Mohamadu Buhari led APC Government, it has become clear that the current administration has wilfully and consciously chosen to derail our nascent democracy and lead Nigeria to a part of no return.
“We therefore demand an immediate withdrawal of security operatives from the private residence of Justice Mary Odili and an unreserved apology from the Nigerian government in this regards.”
