Hold FG responsible if anything happens to Justice Odili – Group

A group under the aegis of Akwa Ibom Oil Producing Community Network (AKPICON), says the Federal Government of Nigeria should be held accountable if anything happens to Justice Mary Odili.

The group gave the warning following a recent invasion of Justice Odili’s residence by some armed persons suspected to be security operatives representing different agencies of government, on Friday, October 29, 2021.

In a statement signed by the President General of the human rights group, Dr. Ufot Phenson, the group said the operatives that stormed the residence of Justice Odili had the intention to kill and maim their target under the guise of undertaking a search whose warrant was questionable and baseless.

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The group, therefore, described the raid not only as being barbaric and uncivilised but a violation of Justice Odili’s right to privacy and therefore highly condemnable.

While berating the Federal Government and security agencies for the brute manner in which the raid was conducted, Dr. Phenson called for a thorough investigation into the incident with a view to bringing the culprits to book.

He added that Nigeria is not a ‘banana republic’ where people, individuals and organisations take the laws into their hands and go away scot-free.

“The attack on Justice Mary Odili, an eminent jurist of the Apex Court is viewed by AKIPCON as barbaric, uncivilized. It was a display of brute force against an innocent judicial officer of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, who is discharging services to her father land.

“If anything untoward happens to Justice Mary Odili, the CROWN DAUGHTER of the Niger Delta, the organisation will shout to the whole world and hold the Federal Government of Nigeria responsible.

“The attack has the semblance of hired assassins whose mission was to kill, destroy or maim. We call on the Federal Government to thoroughly investigate the incident with a view to bringing the culprit to book.

“Nigeria is not a banana republic where people, individuals and organisations can take the laws into their hands,” a statement by the group reads in part.