Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has
described the invasion of residences of five
judges, including those of two Justices of the
Supreme Court – Justice Walter Onnoghen and
Justice Sylvester Ngwuta – by armed men of the
Department of State Service and reported arrest
as a direct assault on the judiciary.
Onnoghen is the second in command and in line
to succeed the outgoing Chief Justice of Nigeria,
Justice Mahmud Muhammad.
Addressing journalists on Saturday in Ado Ekiti,
Fayose, said “It should now be obvious to all
Nigerians and the international community that
democracy is under threat in Nigeria and
Nigerians must rise to save democracy from
being truncated.
“For all intent and purposes, there is no how the
Federal Government can justify the gestapo and
crude action of the DSS against our judiciary, the
last hope of the common man and I believe they
just want to hide under anti-corruption fight to
blackmail and intimidate the judiciary. If not,
have the affected judges been reported to the
National Judicial Council, the body saddled with
the responsibilities of investigating and
sanctioning erring judges?
“Were the affected judges ever invited by the
DSS and they refused to honour the invitation?
The governor said he was particularly worried
over the involvement of Justice Onnoghen in the
invasion.
Over times in Supreme Court, the second takes
over as the CJN.
“I hope this is not a plot to prevent his
appointment as the next CJN just because he is
from the South South region.
“Nigerians should be reminded that I raised
similar alarm when this regime of impunity
started with the invasion of the Akwa-Ibom
State Government House and later the Ekiti State
House of Assembly.
“I did say then that democracy in Nigeria was
becoming unsafe in the hands of this APC
government and that those keeping silent
because of politics might also end up in the belly
of the roaring lion that is threatening to consume
our democracy. Then, those who ought to have
joined in condemning the DSS impunity at that
time kept silent for fear of the unknown.
“Now we have gotten to the height of it and
Nigeria faces full-blown military dictatorship!
This is sad!”
Fayose noted that two of the judges involved,
Justice Adeniyi Ademola and Justice Nnamdi
Dimgba recently ruled against the DSS and
condemned its impunity on the cases of former
National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki
(retd) and retired Air Commodore, Umar
Mohammed.
“One wonders if upholding the rule of law by
refusing to help the DSS to sustain its reign of
impunity has now become a criminal offence for
which judges must be harassed, intimidated and
arrested.
Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has
described the invasion of residences of five
judges, including those of two Justices of the
Supreme Court – Justice Walter Onnoghen and
Justice Sylvester Ngwuta – by armed men of the
Department of State Service and reported arrest
as a direct assault on the judiciary.
Onnoghen is the second in command and in line
to succeed the outgoing Chief Justice of Nigeria,
Justice Mahmud Muhammad.
Addressing journalists on Saturday in Ado Ekiti,
Fayose, said “It should now be obvious to all
Nigerians and the international community that
democracy is under threat in Nigeria and
Nigerians must rise to save democracy from
being truncated.
“For all intent and purposes, there is no how the
Federal Government can justify the gestapo and
crude action of the DSS against our judiciary, the
last hope of the common man and I believe they
just want to hide under anti-corruption fight to
blackmail and intimidate the judiciary. If not,
have the affected judges been reported to the
National Judicial Council, the body saddled with
the responsibilities of investigating and
sanctioning erring judges?
“Were the affected judges ever invited by the
DSS and they refused to honour the invitation?
The governor said he was particularly worried
over the involvement of Justice Onnoghen in the
invasion.
Over times in Supreme Court, the second takes
over as the CJN.
“I hope this is not a plot to prevent his
appointment as the next CJN just because he is
from the South South region.
“Nigerians should be reminded that I raised
similar alarm when this regime of impunity
started with the invasion of the Akwa-Ibom
State Government House and later the Ekiti State
House of Assembly.
“I did say then that democracy in Nigeria was
becoming unsafe in the hands of this APC
government and that those keeping silent
because of politics might also end up in the belly
of the roaring lion that is threatening to consume
our democracy. Then, those who ought to have
joined in condemning the DSS impunity at that
time kept silent for fear of the unknown.
“Now we have gotten to the height of it and
Nigeria faces full-blown military dictatorship!
This is sad!”
Fayose noted that two of the judges involved,
Justice Adeniyi Ademola and Justice Nnamdi
Dimgba recently ruled against the DSS and
condemned its impunity on the cases of former
National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki
(retd) and retired Air Commodore, Umar
Mohammed.
“One wonders if upholding the rule of law by
refusing to help the DSS to sustain its reign of
impunity has now become a criminal offence for
which judges must be harassed, intimidated and
arrested.
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