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Wike Gives FG 48-hours to probe raid on Odili’s residence in Abuja
Governor Nyesom Wike and leaders of Rivers State have issued 48-hour ultimatum to the federal government to bring to book those behind the invasion of the residence of Justice Mary Odili of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in Abuja last Friday.
The Rivers leaders warned that should anything sinister happen to Justice Odili, her husband and former Governor of Rivers State, Dr Peter Odili, the federal government should be held accountable.
Governor Wike made this assertion on behalf of Rivers State elders, federal and state lawmakers and council chairmen during a press briefing at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja on Sunday.
The governor said they have observed a pattern of persistent harassment of the Odili’s family in recent times by alleged agents of the federal government.
He recalled that on a fateful day the Supreme Court nullified the election victory of the All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship candidate in Bayelsa State, hoodlums suspected to be political thugs invaded the residence of Justice Odili, but the federal government didn’t take any steps to bring the culprits to book.
Governor Wike noted that just recently, Dr Odili had legitimately travelled out of the country for medicals, but on his arrival, his international passport was confiscated for inexplicable reasons by the Immigration Service.
He said initially the federal government had feigned ignorance of the seizure of Odili’s passport.
But, after the former governor approached the court to enforce his fundamental right, the service eventually came up with a spurious excuse to justify their ignoble act.
Governor Wike described as most worrisome last Friday’s invasion of the residence of Justice Odili by federal government security agencies that claimed they had a warrant issued by a Magistrate Court to search the property.
The governor noted that though the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice had denied involvement in the siege on Justice Odili’s residence, the people of Rivers State consider his mere denial as unsatisfactory.
