ABUJA — The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has demanded the arrest and prosecution of the security operatives behind the invasion of Mary Odili’s residence.
Security forces made of police and military officers had conducted a search on Odili’s apartment on Friday, citing information on ongoing illegal activities as the basis for their action.
The officers who identified themselves as members of a joint task force said they had received information of illegal activities going on in the house of Mrs. Odili, a justice of the Supreme Court in Abuja.
The supreme court justice is the wife of Peter Odili, a former governor of Rivers state, who is currently on the watchlist of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation (AGF), had denied involvement in the raid while calling for an investigation of the incident.
Likewise, the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, disassociated the agency from the raid.
However, Tony Ojukwu, executive secretary of the commission, in a statement on Monday, pressed that Justice Odili deserved a public apology, noting that the invasion was a violation of her right to privacy.
“The perpetrators must therefore be made to account for their professional misconduct by arresting them, prosecuting them.
“These are the only deterrents that can forestall future desecration of the rights to privacy, integrity of the person, residence and office of our judicial officers, especially at that level.
“The independence of the judiciary must be respected at all times.
“Time has come to punish this kind of professional misconduct by erring law enforcement officers to forestall total destruction of the integrity of judicial offices and the judiciary.
“This should be condemned by all well-meaning Nigerians in the interest of our nascent democracy, independence of the judiciary and respect for human rights and rule of law,” He said.
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