The Nigerian Bar Association has expressed shock at the news of the brazen and dastardly act of bomb explosion at the Ahoada High Court and alleged case of arson at the court room of the Okehi High Court, all in Rivers State.
The President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Okey Wali, SAN, who condemned the act, noted that it was not only as sacrilegious, but also as a desecration of the temple of justice.
“The NBA will not idly stand by and watch these acts of violence and impunity to our courts, which are tantamount to an affront to the rule of law and threat to our democracy,” he said.
Wali blamed the impious act on government’s unresponsiveness to the security in Nigerian courts which he says has been brought to the fore by this incident. He urged that the security of the hallowed courts of justice across the nation should be taken more seriously.
“The NBA calls on the National Security Adviser and the Inspector General of Police to employ all security apparatus at their disposal, to unearth the culprits and bring them to Justice,” he stated.
“The NBA will not and cannot, be satisfied with the usual mantra of, “the Police investigation is continuing”. We demand an immediate and thorough investigation and expect a report, even if, interim, within thirty days of the date of the incidents. Attacks on our courts will not be swept under the carpet.
Presently, a letter expressing discontent and the concerns of the bar has been dispatched from the National Secretariat of the Nigerian Bar Association in Abuja, to the National Security Adviser, the Inspector General of Police and the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR.
This latest development, once again underscores government’s continuous apathy to securing lives and property in the nation and the need for government to attach a greater of significance to the matter.
