Anger and reactions over invasion of Ekiti court

Anger and reactions over invasion of Ekiti court

•Fayemi urges action
•Six suspects get bail
Senior lawyers, activists and others were angry yesterday over Monday’s invasion of an Ekiti High Court by thugs after a judge assumed jurisdiction in a case against Governor-elect Ayodele Fayose.
Policemen watched helplessly as the thugs hurled missiles at judges, lawyers and other officials who scampered for safety.
Lawyers described the action as “barbaric”, a “desecration of the temple of justice” and “an act of judicial terrorism”.
Governor Kayode Fayemi visited the court premises and promised to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Publicity Secretary Mr Gbolahan Gbadamosi, said the lawyers’ umbrella body would make its position known later.
“NBA will issue appropriate statement later,” he said in a text message.
Former Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) Director-General Prof Epiphany Azinge (SAN), Malam Yusuf Ali (SAN), Mr Mike Igbokwe (SAN), Dr Joseph Nwobike (SAN), constitutional lawyer Ike Ofuokwu and a human rights group, Access to Justice (AJ) called for the prosecution of the perpetrators to forestall a negative pattern.
Azinge said said if anyone felt the court’s decision was not fair, he should have gone on appeal rather than taking the law into their hands.
His words: “That is thuggery taken too far. The independence of the judiciary is not only guaranteed when government, either the executive or the legislature interferes in the activities of the judiciary.
“It extends to where individual litigants, either corporate bodies or personalities before the court take the laws into their hands to challenge or question the actions or activities of the court.
“There is always a way of ventilating grievances against the decisions of the court and the laid down procedure and the forum is to wait and then follow the channel of appeal against any judgment.
“A situation where we now believe that the court is the last hope of the common man and that hope is eroded by people anticipating actions or decisions of the court and challenging them wittingly or unwittingly by trying to intercept that judgment by attacking the court is one that is totally unacceptable to a democratic setting.
“To that extent it stands to be condemned. The police must ensure that the courtrooms are well protected, not just when the court is sitting, but all round the clock to make sure that not just the personnel involved, but all documents and property of the court are continuously protected.
“If we don’t do that, then it means that we’re bidding farewell to the judiciary and to an extent our constitutional democracy in this country.”
Ali described the attack as an abominable act .
“It’s an abomination that should not be encouraged,” he said.
To Igbokwe, the incident is not only contemptuous, but a violation of the hallowed precincts of a court.
“It is a desecration of the highest order of the temple of justice. Indiscipline. Contempt of court. Who did they want to intimidate?
“The culprits should be fished out, tried and, if found guilty, punished accordingly so as to deter similar occurrences in the future.
“Security at the courts/tribunals should henceforth be strengthened and their members protected,” he said.
Nwobike said the Ekiti court mayhem is not only disturbing, but highlights what he called institutional failure on the part of security agencies.
“What happened at the Ekiti State High Court is very disturbing. I cannot imagine this extent of institutional failure in Ekiti.
“I call on the Inspector-General of Police and the Director-General of the State Security Services to investigate and punish all those responsible for the ugly development,” Nwobike said.
Ofuokwu described the incident as judicial terrorism, adding that the perpetrators must be severely punished to serve as a lesson to others.
“What transpired at the Ekiti State High Court was an affront of an unimaginable proportion on the Nigerian judiciary, which was orchestrated by the political class to intimidate the judiciary and, by so doing, undermine the integrity of the legal system.
“If this act of impunity and political rascality is allowed to go unchallenged, a precedent is established as a weapon of the political class to disrupt any legal/judicial proceedings that they consider unfavourable to them.
“That irresponsible conduct in itself is a desecration of the hallowed chambers of the courts. The perpetrators of this act of judicial terrorism and their sponsors, no matter how highly placed they are, must be investigated, tried and severely punished, if found guilty.
“Failure to do this would breed anarchy, which we will have to live with as a nation for a very long time”, Ofuokwu said.
Access to Justice, in a statement by its Executive Director Mr Joseph Otteh, said the deplorable attack is against the rule of law.
“Access to Justice deplores the disruption of court proceedings by persons or groups of persons who felt aggrieved by the ruling of the Judge.
“Attacks on courts, lawyers, judges or court users are direct attacks on the rule of law, the administration of justice and constitutional democracy.
“Judges, lawyers and litigants must be able to enjoy the free atmosphere that courts offer in order to discharge their responsibilities fairly, conscientiously and diligently. “
To a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Jibrin Okutepa, Dr. Utman Abdulazeez and Richard Chukwuocha, the Federal Government, the Attorney General of the Federation, the Nigerian Bar Association and all Nigerians would condone the Ekiti development at the peril of democracy and decency.
Okutepa said: “If it did happen, then we should say goodbye to the rule of law. We are already facing serious intimidation and the almost extinction of rule of law in this country. So, if the rule of the jungle is now taking over the rule of law, then might will soon become right and the peace and tranquillity, currently being threatened, would have been completely wiped out.”
Abdulazeez said:” this is the worst we should be willing to accept as a nation.
Let’s watch and see how this Federal Government will treat this great act of desecration of the hallowed temple of justice. We are doomed in this country. God help us.”
To Chukwuocha, “it is a serous infraction on the rule of law and the height of contempt in the face the court. All the people that participated in that mayhem should be arrested and prosecuted, and if found guilty, should be prosecuted according to the law.