The President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Paul Usoro, said it does not have any invitation from the Federal Government over its planned investigation into the December 6, invasion of the Federal High Court to arrest the convener of the protest #RevolutionNow, Omoyele Sowore.
Recall that the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami SAN, revealed that the federal government has put machinery in place to prove the culpability or otherwise of the security operatives.
Usoro who spoke with Impact News in Abuja said that the NBA has not been invited to be part of the investigation.
“I have not received a letter that has invited the NBA to be part of the investigation body. I am not saying that a letter may not be send to me but as at today I have not seen that letter,” he said.
The NBA had less than 24 hours after the court invasion condemned the action of the DSS describing it as an “exhibition of primitivity, thuggery, insane passion for lawlessness, contempt and disrespect for the rule of law.”
Meanwhile the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (BoSAN) also said only a Judicial Commission of Enquiry set up by Major General Muhammadu Buhari (Rtrd.) can reveal the real identities of those who invaded the courtroom.
BoSAN warned that unless the truth is unravel, Nigeria would loss respect and become an object of ridicule among the comity of Nations.
BoSAN gave the warning in a speech made at a special valedictory court session to mark the retirement of Justice Kumai Aka’ahs from the Supreme Court.
The event was held at the headquarters of the Supreme Court in Abuja. Chief Onomigbo Okpoko SAN, who delivered the body’s Speech remarked that the incident with similar ones in the last three years points to the level of disregard to the rule of law and the judiciary.
“The Nigerian Bar Association has come up with a statement from the bar condemning the action. As members of the Nigerian Bar Association, the Body of Senior Advocate of Nigeria, associates itself with the condemnation of the show of shame.
“It will however go one step further to suggest that this matter should not be swept under the expanding carpet of deceit in Nigeria.
“The pertinent question is who was responsible for the action in the courtroom? This is a task that the government must carry out to ascertain the truth”, he said.
While stating that the Nigerian Police being a sister organisation cannot investigate the matter thoroughly, he said even the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Customs and other paramilitary forces in the country cannot also not do a thorough job.
Okpoko SAN added that even the National Assembly is not sufficiently equipped to investigate the matter. “The way out is an Independent Commission of Enquiry under the law. This can be achieved. The Body of Senior Advocates hereby demands that Mr. President considers without delay, the setting up of a Judicial Commission of Enquiry to hear publicly and determined the perpetrators of the acts, their sponsors and their objectives.
“Unless, this is done, Nigerians are unlikely to be convinced by any other explanations that the act was not the work of the DSS. “It is the result of any such judiciary inquiry that will lead to the reestablishment of discipline in the society. The DSS and its officers are not above the laws of the land and the Constitution. In Nigerian law and in the Common Law, the Superior Orders is no defence to a criminal conduct. It has never been and this administration must not allow it to be”, the body said.
