Rivers State governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has charged the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba to unravel the real motive behind the recent invasion of the residence of Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Mary Odili.
The governor said it is curious that weeks’ after the obnoxious invasion of Justice Odili’s residence, the magistrate who issued the search warrant, has not been interrogated to account for his action.
Governor Wike, stated this when he led a delegation of Rivers’ elders and elected representatives to the IGP at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.
The governor, who commended the IGP and his team for the arrest of some of the suspects involved in the condemnable invasion, however, charged the Police to get to the root of the matter in order to ensure that all those directly or indirectly involved face the full wrath of the law.
“We believe, we should get to the root of this matter and anybody who is directly or indirectly involved should face the wrath of the law. It does not matter the person’s position. That is the only way somebody can stop saying if a Justice of Supreme Court, second in command, could face this, what about the ordinary people, what will happen? I am quite confident that you will unravel whatever that has happened.”
The Rivers State governor expressed concern that if all culprits are not arrested and prosecuted, law abiding citizens will be reluctant to grant access to their residence to anyone that brandishes a search warrant at them.
Governor Wike pointed out that the October 29 incidence has generated a lot of misgiving and negative perception about the activities of some security agencies.
According to him, the only way public confidence in security agencies can be restored, is when all those who engaged in the despicable act, are exposed and punished in accordance with extant laws of the land.
The governor said the government and people of Rivers State are concerned that the magistrate who issued the search warrant has not been quizzed to determine the motive for his action.
“Nobody has said anything about the magistrate, and we believe that the magistrate is not unknown.”
Governor Wike commended the IGP for being apolitical and professional in the discharge of his constitutional responsibility.
He observed that because the IGP has conscientiously refused to politicise the issue of security, Rivers State security architecture has been yielding positive results.
“Today, in my state, the level of peace, and the level of security we enjoy is as a result of your support not to interfere, not to politicise the issue of security. It is unfortunate that the state has had series of crisis. Since I took over in 2015, I think we have had more than 10 Commissioner of Police.”
The governor assured the IGP that the Rivers State government will not relent in its support for the police and other security agencies.
In his remark, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba said the suspects involved in the invasion of Justice Mary Odili’s residence are still in police custody amid ongoing investigation.
On the issue of the magistrate who issued the search warrant, the IGP explained that the police had written to the Chief Registrar of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) requesting for his release, but instead his statement was submitted to the police.
“We wrote a letter to the Chief Registrar of FCT to release the magistrate, and instead of releasing him, they replied our letter, plus his statement to us. So, we don’t want to pick any quarrel. What we needed was the statement. We are working with the statement. He has not denied the fact that he has issued a search warrant and that is what we wanted to confirm.”
The IGP, said based on one suspect’s and a fake Chief Superintendent of Police, Lawrence Ajodo statement, the police had interviewed the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, who denied he does not know Ajodo.
According to him, the Attorney General actually confirmed that his ministry had initially constituted recovery team, but that team had since been disbanded, and even its default chairman, is undergoing prosecution by Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
“He, Ajodo, also told us that he was the one who lifted the AGF signature from another document and imposed it on his identify card.”
The governor was accompanied by Senator Betty Apiafi, Senator George Sekibo, Senator Barry Mpigi, Senator Lee Maeba, Senator Olaka Nwogu, the Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani.
Others include former Presidents of Nigerian Bar Association, Onueze C.J Okocha, (SAN) and Okey Wali, (SAN), former Minister of Transport, Dr. Abiye Sekibo, Mr. Ledum Mitee.
