LAST weekend’s midnight assault that took place simultaneously on the residences of some judges in Abuja, Gombe and Port Harcourt ,has no precedent in the political history of Nigeria. That it happened under an elected democratic government, is most troubling, astonishingly sickening, shameful,crude and absolutely indefensible.
If not for the exemplary courage and determination of the governor of Rivers state, Nyesom Wilke, the drama that played out at No. 35 Force Avenue, a Government Reservation Area (GRA), residence of a Federal High Court judge in Port Harcourt, one of the judges that the Directorate of the Security Services (DSS) attempted to arrest , Nigerians would not have known the details of what transpired. Some people have asked : Was it inappropriate for Wike to have interfered in the operation?
It all began on Friday in far away Gombe state, officials of the DSS reportedly arrested Justice Muazu Pindiga. Pindiga, it will be recalled, was the first Chairman of the Rivers state Election Petitions Tribunal before he was suddenly replaced midway into the hearing of petitions arising from the 2015 governorship election in the state.
We all know how contentious that election was and how the losers are yet to let peace reign in spite of the Supreme Court judgment affirming that Wike was the validly elected governor of Rivers state.
Also, in Abuja ,there were also reports that two Justices of the Supreme Court, Sylvester Ngwuta and Inyang Okoro were arrested by the security operatives, as well as two judges of the Federal High Court, (Abuja Division),Hon. Justice Adeniyi Ademola and Justice Nnamdi Dimgba. Laying siege to the official residences of judges and arresting them cannot be justified by whatever reason(s) adduced by the security operatives.
It’s heartening that Wike came in the nick of time to stop the abduction of the Judge at the risk of his own life. According to the governor’s media aide Simeon Nwakaudo , on sighting Wike,the overzealous security operatives led by Tosin Ajayi who had swooped on the premises of the judge,tried to rebuffed every enquiry by the governor. The security guard reportedly insisted they would leave with the judge. But Wike stood his ground.
The rest is history. And history will be kind to Wike for the role he played in foiling the abduction of the judge. Indeed, Wike exhibited exemplary leadership when he said during that drama, “not under my watch will I allow this kind of impunity to take place…”. Were these judicial officials criminals? No evidence that supports that,at least for now.
But the DSS saw things through a different lens. A statement by the agency said the sting operation was based on allegations of corruption and other acts of professional misconduct against the affected judicial officials.
The DSS in the statement by Abdullahi Garba, said the judges had been on its radar for some time now, claiming that they have been living an opulent lifestyles beyond their means. It also claimed that a search it carried out uncovered huge cash in various currencies and choice houses in the names of the judges.The agency claims some of the judges have made useful statements and may be arraigned this week.
But, Wike has debunked the claims that money was found in the house of the judge in Port Harcourt. He said the story was concocted by the security agency to justify the unconstitutional assault. The DSS doubled down when it alleged that Governor Wike had acted in concert with the judge living at No. 35 Forces Avenue Port Harcourt. The explanation by the DSS sounded more like searching for a smoking gun than been sincere.
The DSS, for all we knew, didn’t succeed in breaking into the house of the judge in Port Harcourt, how then did it arrive at the conclusion that $2 million was found in the house? Could it be that it was working from a predetermined answer? It smells very much so. Which is why Wike believes the sting was part of a grand plot to declare a st ate of emergency in Rivers state.
Recall that few months ago,the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission said it had uncovered the withdrawal of N11bn by the Rivers state government from its account domiciled in the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN). The state Attorney General and commissioner of Justice, Emmanuel Aguma,SAN had since addressed all the allegations, saying that the anti-graft agency wanted to overreach itself.
What the DSS has done in this instant case of the arrest of some judges has grave consequences on the judiciary. The Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) expectedly, has condemned the assault on the liberties of the judges. Apology will not be enough to explain away the incalculable dent this has caused the country. The question is: Is this the most appropriate way to rid the judiciary of corrupt judges? Nigerians are holding their breath for more arrests and their trial as promised by the DSS and the Federal government,according to statement by presidential aide, Garba Shehu. The position of the presidency which suggests it approved the raid on the judges should trouble any sane mind.
I am all in support of cleansing our judiciary of corrupt officials. But this must follow decent and due process of the law. Is government saying it has lost confidence in the National Judicial Council (NJC) charged with matters such as alleged graft and discipline of judges ? Only last week the NJC recommended the sack of three judges on corruption charges. And we lauded it. It didn’t need the presidency to arm twist it to do so. All in all , only the willfully blind are shocked by what the DSS has done.
The truth is that what the security operatives did was consistent with what we already knew this administration is capable of doing. If you think the action of the security operatives doesn’t reflect the mirror image or perception of many about this administration,you probably haven’t been paying attention to happenings in the polity since the All Progressives Congress(APC) assumed power at the centre.