Justice ministry authorizes search of Supreme Court justice’s home; warrant revoked

The Joint Panel Recovery Unit of the ministry of justice was behind the siege on Supreme Court Justice Mary Odili’s home in Abuja. And the invasion is illegal.

According to a Chief Magistrates’ Court in Abuja, the court was misled to issue the search warrant which the EFCC operatives obtained following a whistleblower’s observation.

One Aliyu Umar deposed to an affidavit stating some ileagl activities were going on in certain building on Imo Street, Maitama.

“I hereby state that all information provided by me to the EFCC is true and correct to the best of my knowledge,” Umar stated in the documenton October 13.

In a second affidavit deposed to by a senior police officer, CSP Lawrence Ajodo, the panel, which comprises EFCC, police, and reps from the ministry of justice, applied to the chief magistrate in Abuja seeking a search warrant to search the house.

Chief Magistrate Emmanuel Iyanna subsequently approved the search warrant on October 29, 2021.

It then turned out the building belongs to Justice Mary Odili.

“EFCC operatives armed with a search warrant stormed Justice Odili’s home today, claiming to be investigating her husband. Justice Odili insisted that it was her personal house and not her husband’s,” the Punch quoted an EFCC source as saying.

“As I speak to you, the operatives are still there, insisting that they must search the house.”

EFCCs spokesman Wilson Uwajaren said the commission was never a part of such.

But Friday night Chief Magistrate Iyanna issued another statement.

“Upon misrepresentation to this honourable court that led to the issuance of a search warrant in favour of Joint Panel Recovery, Ministry of Justice, against House 9, Imo Street, Maitama, Abuja, dated October 29, 2021. In view of the above fact, the said search warrant is hereby revoked.”