Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has asked the federal government to stop harassing judicial officers.
Condemning the raid on the home of Mary Odili, a judge of the supreme court, Ortom described the invasion as “unwarranted and repressive”.
Speaking on the invasion, Ortom, in a statement by Nathaniel Ikyur, his chief press secretary, said Odili, as “an unblemished” Nigerian judicial officer should not be brought into politically motivated battles.
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He stated that this is the second time agents of the state will be invading the “hallowed homes” of top judicial officers for reasons that cannot be properly understood.
The governor said if justices of the supreme court could be easy targets for spurious allegations and subsequent invasion of their privacy without following due process, it is a clear indication that Nigeria is indeed heading in the wrong direction.
“The Governor suggests that instead of politicizing attacks on top judicial officers to embarrass and intimidate them to submit to the whims of the Federal Government, it should be ready to obey all court orders in line with the practice in saner democratic climes,” the statement reads.
“He stresses that since Nigeria is practising democracy, all the arms of government must be allowed to function optimally without any infringement of the rights of others.”
“He calls on the Attorney General and Minister of justice to immediately order investigations into the invasion of Justice Odili’s residence and culprits are made to face the full wrath of the law.”