Invasion of Justice Mary Odili’s Residence; Democracy no longer safe under Buhari.
The Southern Nigeria Frontier (SNF) is once again worried, about the recent invasion of the Abuja residence of Justice Mary Odili, of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. We consider this gestapo action, which available evidences have shown was ordered by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation, as the height of corruption and executive recklessness, targeted at once again intimidating the Nigeria’s Judiciary, a conduct now synonymous with the Buhari regime.
Despite the denial by the administration, particularly the office of the Attorney General of the Federation, we wish to let Nigerians, and the International community note that this is another move by the administration, to intimidate, denigrate and ridicule the judiciary just like what was done to unceremoniously sack former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onoghen.
What the Buhari administration is doing, particularly through AGF Abubakar Malami, is nothing but an executive recklessness and impunity. It must be known, that a Supreme Court Justice like Justice Mary Odili is a senior citizen of this country, whose residence cannot be hidden to the knowledge of the government, which should now be mistaken for an ordinary Abuja residence, where “Illegal activities” are supposedly taking place, as claimed by the invaders of her residence. This is barbaric and unacceptable.
There is no doubt that the continued attack on the institutions of our democracy, particularly the judiciary, by operatives of this administration, is a descent into a deeper dictatorship than we have ever witnessed in our polity even during military regime. If Supreme Court judges can be under this manner of assault and abuse of naked power, what would be the fate of the everyday citizens in Nigeria? This culture is no doubt, a new low never witnessed in our country and all lovers of justice, democracy and decency must condemn this barbaric act.
While calling on all Nigerians and members of the international community to pay serious attention to the abuse of power and threat to democracy under President Buhari, it is obvious that democracy in Nigeria is becoming unsafe in the hands of Buhari’s government.
Finally, we wish to state, that we shall not allow our democracy to be sacrificed on the Altar of the desperation of today’s men in power, as we remained resolute in our avowed commitment to the survival of our democracy.
Signed:
Olufemi Lawson
Spokesman, SNF