The former President of Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Chief O. C. J. Okocha (SAN), has called on security agencies in the state to identify those who allegedly locked the gates leading to the state judiciary complex ahead of a meeting of judges of the state for sanction.
Okocha, who condemned the act on Monday in Port Harcourt, said it portended danger for the judiciary. Appealing to the Police to ensure that those behind the act were prosecuted, he said that their intention largely was to ensure that the meeting of the judges did not hold.
According to him, some persons went ahead to weld the gates leading into the judiciary complex when they got wind of plan by judges in the state to meet at the premises.
He said: “In our law and in our democracy, nobody shuts down the court. Citizens can approach the court at anytime. This is why during vacations, the court appoints one or two judges to sit as vacation court.
“Who welded the court gates? The law enforcement agents should investigate the matter and bring to book those that did it. What happened portends grave danger for our democracy. It is unheard of.”
It would be recalled that the judges had to invite the Police to brake the gate to enable them access the premises for their meeting last Tuesday.
Okocha said despite the strike embarked upon by junior workers of the state judiciary under the aegis of Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN, judges were allowed into their offices until that Tuesday when unknown persons allegedly welded the gates to prevent the judges from holding their meeting.
He hailed the action of the Police that fired tear gas to disperse a crowd around the judiciary complex, saying it was in line with the law.
