The elected dictatorship unleashed on Nigerians by General Muhammadu Buhari has taken on an elevated and dangerous dimension with the co-ordinated midnight invasion of the homes of judges across the federation by operatives of the secret police, the Department of State Security Services, DSS.
Operatives of Nigeria’s secret police invaded the residence of two Supreme Court justices, Justice Walter Onnoghen and Justice Sylvester Ngwuta, on Friday night and abducted them from their homes at the Judicial Officers’ Quarters in Abuja
Onnoghen, has been recommended by the National Judicial Council, NJC, as the next chief justice of Nigeria.
In the dead of the night on Friday, October 7, 2016 just before midnight, operatives of the DSS, acting on the orders of Muhammadu Buhari’s presidency, surrounded the Abuja homes of two federal judges, Nnamdi Dimgba and Adebiyi Ademola.
The federal judges live, respectively, at 32 and 34 Samuel Ogbemudia Crescent in the Apo Legislative Quarters of Abuja.
Justice Ademola was whisked away at about 5am in a violent operation in which the security operatives beat up his brother.
The invading officers arrived and surrounded Justice Dimgba’s home around 9pm, according to neighbours of the judge who spoke with an online news website.
Dimgba was not at home, and after laying a siege on the premises for hours, the DSS agents began to break into his compound using a sledgehammer.
Our findings reveal that the DSS is uncomfortable with recent rulings by the judge and his outspoken criticism of the DSS in matters concerning the violation of the fundamental human rights of victims of the secret police’s tyranny.
Specifically, on July 22, 2016, Justice Dimgba berated the DSS for failing to present a suspect being held in its detention facility in court for a hearing. The suspect, Air Commodore Umar Mohammed, a former chief of air staff, is one of the targets of President Muhammadu Buhari’s skewed anti-corruption fight.
Investigations also reveal that Justice Adeniyi Ademola is the judge presiding over the trial of the former national security adviser, Sambo Dasuki. He has also berated the DSS for violating the human rights of Colonel Dasuki and failing to produce him in court where he is being charged for alleged money laundering.
According to reports, on the same night, DSS operatives in Gombe State also invaded the home of Justice Muazu Pindiga, former chairman of the Rivers State Governorship petition tribunal and arrested him gestapo style for undisclosed reasons.
While these developments were unfolding, the illegal siege on Rivers State by federal security agencies continued unabated during the early hours of Saturday as hundreds of Department of State Services, DSS, operatives and policemen attempted to illegally abduct a Federal High Court judge residing at Number 35 Forces Avenue in Port Harcourt.
The illegal failed abduction, which occurred just after midnight on Saturday, October 8, 2016 was led by Tosin Ajayi, Rivers State Director of the Department of State Services (DSS) and Rivers State police commissioner, Francis Odesanya.
The operatives of DSS reportedly rough-handled Governor Nyesom Wike, pushing him around and injuring his hand. A few of the operatives cocked their rifles and threatened to shoot the Governor.
They were irked by the governor’s arrival at the scene at about 1am shortly after the failed abduction process began. It was learnt that the governor received security information on the illegal moves, minutes after the operation started.
According to sources, the DSS operatives presented doubtful search warrants bearing incorrect names.
The DSS has not provided any reason for this assault on an independent arm of government and the democracy of the country.
