The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has dragged the Nigerian government before the United Nations (UN) over a recent raid on the home Justice Mary Odili’s home.
SERAP urged UN’s Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers to “put pressure on the government of President Muhammadu Buhari to conduct a credible, thorough, impartial independent, transparent, and effective investigation into the vicious assault on Supreme Court Justice Mary Odili by rogue officials.”
SERAP also demanded that the UN “ask the Nigerian government to ensure that any investigation into the assault is based on human rights principles, and protected from undue influence. The outcome of the investigation must be made public, and the suspected perpetrators and their sponsors brought to justice.”
SERAP’s petition to the world body comes after the recent invasion of Justice Odili’s home by armed men, most of whom have been denied by their alleged sponsors.
In the petition dated 13th November, 2021, and signed by SERAP deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the rights body said that, “The intimidation and harassment of Justice Odili is a flagrant assault on judicial independence and apparently aimed at further weakening judicial independence and the rule of law in Nigeria.”
It added further that, “The unconscionable attacks against Nigerian judges would seem to be a deliberate attempt by the authorities to exert pressure on the judiciary and undermine its independence and authority. These attacks are putting Nigerian’s freedom at risk.”
It stated that, “The current investigation by Nigerian police fails to meet International standards as it is neither independent nor effective. As such, the investigation is incapable of identifying all the suspected perpetrators and their sponsors, and credibly delivering justice.”
Excerpt:
SERAP@SERAPNigeria· “The petition sent yesterday, read in part: “The unconscionable attacks against Nigerian judges would seem to be a deliberate attempt to exert pressure on the judiciary. “The current investigation by the police is neither independent nor effective” @UNHumanRights@UNTreatyBodies“
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