The Chairman, House Committee on Judiciary, Luke Onofiok (PDP-Akwa Ibom), has decried the recent siege on Supreme Court justice Mary Odili’s residence by security agents.

In a statement on Sunday in Abuja, Mr Onofiok condemned the action and pledged to ensure that the sanctity of the nation’s judiciary was upheld.

The lawmaker described the siege as an assault on the sanctity of Nigeria’s Judiciary, an action that should not be allowed.

“It is mind-boggling that at dusk on October 29, 2021, the judiciary was once again exposed to public opprobrium. This is due to the uncanny manner in which the residence of Justice Mary Peter-Odili of the Supreme Court of Nigeria was invaded by law enforcement officials, purportedly on an assignment to execute a search warrant issued by a magistrate,” said the lawmaker. “Also disturbing is the fact that the said warrant was revoked by the issuing Magistrate, who had discovered that it was procured by the applicant on the premise of misrepresented facts.”

He also mentioned that “as a committee, we are currently interfacing” with the judiciary for judicial reforms and an improved justice system.

“We wish to lend our voice once again, to the repeated call by His Lordship; the honourable Justice Tanko Muhammed, CJN, on all Judicial officers on the need to exercise caution in issuing ex parte, conflicting and questionable orders that are capable of bringing disrepute to our Justice system,” he said.

Mr Onofiok added that the development was a wake-up call to tighten administrative and supervisory control over the operations of law enforcement agencies.

The legislator recalled that in a 2016 incident, security agents invaded private residences of judges, which subsequently turned out to be underserved.

“We, therefore, condemn in totality such an ignoble act and pledge every effort at ensuring the sanctity of the nation’s judiciary, as well as our continuous support to the independence of the judiciary,” he said.

(NAN)