www.dailycorrespondents.com/2016/10/rivers-police-commissioner-fired-aiding-governor-wike/


Home  News
Rivers Police Commissioner to be “fired” for aiding
Governor Wike

 
The Commissioner of Police, Rivers State
Command, Mr. Francis Odesanya, is under fire
for his role in the aborted arrest of a judge of
the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, in the
early hours of Saturday, The PUNCH learnt on
Sunday.

The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom
Wike, was said to have rushed to No. 35,
Forces Avenue, the GRA official residence of
the judge and prevented operatives of the
Department of State Services from arresting
the judge.

Wike, who was said to have had a confrontation
with the DSS officials, was said to have been
joined at the scene by the police
commissioner.

A highly-placed source, who spoke to The
PUNCH on condition of anonymity, on Sunday,
said preliminary report had shown that
Odesanya prevented the security agencies
from carrying out a legitimate order.

Based on the report, he said the police
authorities as well as the Police Service
Commission would sanction the police boss.
He, however, did not disclose the kind of
punishment to be meted out to him.

The source stated, “The Rivers Commissioner
of Police will be dealt with appropriately. It
has been established that the DSS officials who
were at the judge’s residence had with them
duly signed search and arrest warrants.
“By stopping the security agents from doing
their work, what he did was to obstruct justice.
He stopped those people from carrying out a
legitimate order.

“He will be sanctioned accordingly.”
The Public Relations Officer, Rivers State
Command, Mr. Nnamdi Omoni, had told
journalists that policemen were only at the
judge’s residence to ensure there was no
breakdown of law and order.

It was also learnt on Sunday that no fewer than
15 judges across the country were under
investigation by the DSS.

It was gathered that the DSS was investigating
the judges based on various petitions, which
accused them of corruption.

A top Federal Government official, who
confided in our correspondent on Sunday, said
the 15 judges included seven that were
arrested on Friday and Saturday.

The DSS had, in what it called a sting
operation, arrested Sylvester Ngwuta and
Inyang Okoro, both of the Supreme Court; the
suspended Presiding Justice of the Court of
Appeal, Ilorin Division, Justice Mohammed
Tsamiya; Justice Kabiru Auta of the Kano State
High Court and Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the
Federal High Court, Abuja.

Other arrested were a former Chief Judge of
Enugu State, Justice I. A. Umezulike, and
Muazu Pindiga of the Federal High Court,
Gombe Division.

It was gathered that besides the judges, the
DSS had invited three court registry staff
across the country as part of the investigations
into the alleged corruption in the judiciary.
“Currently, we are investigation 15 judges,
including the seven that were arrested. Three
court registry staff have been invited and
quizzed. We have facts and figures,” the source
stated.

The government official faulted a claim that
the DSS acted unilaterally without carrying
along the National Judicial Council.
He stated that the Service sent letters to the
NJC and the Ministry of Justice concerning the
investigations of the judges.

According to him, while the ministry
responded, the NJC did not respond, adding
that the DSS did not dramatise the arrest of
the judges as alleged.

The government official also explained that
the fact that the judges were under the
authority of the NJC did not exclude them
from investigation and prosecution.

He stated, “They have no immunity. Even
those (governors), who have immunity, can be
investigated. There are many professional
groups, including the Nigeria Union of
Journalists; if you commit a crime, besides
facing disciplinary actions from your union,
you should be investigated and prosecuted
according to the law of the country.”

The source further explained the constitutional
mandate of the DSS, adding that the service
had not intervened in what did not concern it
by investigating the judges.

Giving an insight into the allegation against
some of the judges, he alleged that some of
them received bribes to compromise
judgments.

He also cited the case of a judge who had a
N1.5bn estate, alleging that granting of bails to
defendants had been turned into an avenue
for making money by some judicial officers.
It was learnt that the government was not
happy with way the police handled the
investigation into the alleged Senate forgery
involving the Senate President, Bukola Saraki,
and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu.

pdp commissioner in apc govt...sack d ediot make wike gv am job

Chai

bubu. 2019 is just by the corner

how come the same DSS cannot extend nthe same sting operation when it comes to dealing with herdsmen , is the money recovered more important than lives

it is called obstruction of arrest/justice.