Apprehension Over Arrest of Supreme Court Justices

The arrest and assault on senior judges in Abuja, Gombe and Rivers states by the Department of Security Service (DSS) has ignited apprehensive among some Nigerians.

The official quarters of Justice Walter Onoghen, who was recently recommended to President Muhammadu Buhari by the National Judicial Commission (NJC) as the next Chief Justice of Nigeria, and Sylvester Ngwuta also of the Supreme Court and some judges of the Federal/State High courts were said to have been invaded by the DSS for many hours overnight.

In Abuja, there are fears that the action of the security agency could be a ploy to prevent Onoghen from being the next Chief Justice of Nigeria next month as his name had been forwarded to the NJC for consideration and then pave way for a northerner, Justice Tanko Mohammad, the justice after him.

The DSS agents were also said to have stormed the homes of Nnamdi Dimgba and Adeniyi Ademola, both of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, in their official quarters situated at Apo, Abuja.

Justice Ademola was later arrested on Saturday while Mr. Dimgba’s brother was reportedly battered by the DSS.