Invasion Of Judge’s Residence: “This Govt Has Consistently Demonstrated Total Disregard For The Judiciary” – Awomolo, SAN

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief  Adegboyega Awomolo has thrown his weight behind the recent call by the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr Y. C. Maikyau, SAN on the EFCC to tender a public apology to the Judiciary, over the invasion of the residence of the Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal, Kano Division in the early hours of Wednesday, September 21st 2022.

While calling on the entire legal profession to rise and say “enough is enough”, Chief Awomolo, SAN decried the audacious manner in which the present administration has on several occasions, demonstrated total disregard for the judicial arm of government.

See full statement below…

I join the President of the NBA, Mr Y.C. Maikyau, SAN to condemn the unlawful and unconstitutional invasion of the home of the Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal,  Kano division Kano in  early hours of Wednesday the 21st day of Sept 2022.

This Government on several occasions, recklessly and through it  agents, servants and especially its armed Wing has consistently and in audacious manner  since  2015, deliberately demonstrated its total disregard for the Judiciary (an equal, if not superior,) an arm of Government.
 
It was this Government that for the first time in the history of this country invaded official residence of Justices of the the Supreme Court, the highest Court in the land, Judges of High Courts, all in total reckless  disregard for due  process prescribed by the constitution.

In a shameless manner, criminal processes were brought against innocent judicial officers and all the bravado ended in disgrace.

The entire Legal profession must rise to say enough is enough.

We urge  the President of the NBA to ensure that this last misconduct of the EFCC which to all intents and purposes was deliberate, outrightly reckless, unjustifiable in a democratic government and unacceptable in any civilised country is not swept under the carpet as all the previous acts of impunity by this Government.

We urge the President  of the Nigerian Bar Association to cause an enquiry into the incident and if there is evidence or conclusion that there was no lawful justification for the  invasion, harassment and traumatic experience suffered by the Hon. Justice, the Hon. Attorney General of the Federation, who is Chief law officer of the Federation and supervisor of the Commission, should give public apology to the Judiciary and personally to the concerned Justice of the Court of Appeal.

Now that this Government is about winding down its regime of assault and disregard for Judiciary we must expect more of  the worst acts of impunity, executive lawlessness and reckless disregard for due process.
 
Wise man will foresee the worst abuses of due process and impunity having regards to antecedents of assault on the Judiciary since 2015.