Lawmakers condemn attack on judiciary complex

The members of the Rivers legislature have condemned the damage on the state judiciary complex allegedly masterminded by members loyal to a faction of the

The legislators, who condemned the attack in a motion by Mr Martins Amaewule, representing Obio-Akpor-Constituency 1, during plenary on Monday, May 14, resolved to protect River's democracy from further attacks.

The motion, tagged “Motion to condemn violent attack on the Rivers State High Court Complex’’ on May 11, was seconded by Mr Evans Bipi, representing Ogu-Bolo-Constituency.

It will be recalled that on the May, 11, some individuals invaded the Rivers High Court Complex to stop a judicial process on the recently APC local government congress.

The hoodlums allegedly attacked litigants, judicial officers and passersby and destroyed properties.

The legislators also said at the plenary that the House conducted an on-the-spot assessment of the complex and resolved to proffer solutions to checking further breakdown of law by APC in Rivers.

Contributing, Mr Nathaniel Uwaji, representing ONELGA Constituency 2, said there was a need for legislators to align with the prayers as contained in the motion.

He said the prayers among other things included a letter to the United Nations and other important Embassies and High Commissions.

“The letter is expected to draw attention of the international community to the security deficiency in the state.

“The level of wanton damage on the complex judging by its proximity to the security agencies is so unfortunate.

“The Central Police Station and the Directorate of State Security (DSS) office are situated metres away from the judiciary complex.

“If the security agencies could not swiftly control such situation, I wonder how safe the governor and residents of the state are,’’’ he said.

Reacting to the various contributions by the legislators to the motion, the Speaker, Mr Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani, representing Andoni Constituency, thanked the members for rising to save the state from intimidation.

“For me, an attack on the judiciary is an attack on the people, it is therefore, clear that we now practice a system that could be best described as Lottery Democracy where the judiciary is placed under siege,’’ he said.

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Ibani assured that the members of the House would write to the United Nations among others on the matter.

He also appealed President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently redirect efforts toward ensuring that security agencies carried out their functions without prejudice.