Davidson Iriekpen
12 October 2008
Lagos — A civil society organisation, Access to Justice (AJ), has condemned the attack on the official residence of a High Court Judge of Edo State, Hon. Justice Roland Amaize in Benin-City. It also called for the urgent strengthening and protection of judges handling election cases against attacks.
Amaize's official residence was recently set ablaze by unknown arsonists following an unexplainable explosion. The explosion and subsequent fire, which tore down a part of the building.
The judge was reported to have, on August 1, delivered judgment in the Edo State Local Government Election Petition Appeal Tribunal, which ousted three local government council bosses.
In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Mr. Joseph Otteh, the organisation said the attack was not only as an attack on the judiciary, but on the democracy in Nigeria, adding that the Nigerian State has a clear, inexorable duty to unravel the perpetrators of this attack and bring them to justice in order to send a message to those who may contemplate similar action.
"Access to Justice condemns this attack in the strongest terms, and views this not only as an attack on the Judiciary, but on the democracy in Nigeria. The Nigerian State has a clear, inexorable duty to unravel the perpetrators of this attack and bring them to justice in order to send a message to those who may contemplate similar action".
It noted that the attack on Justice Amaize clearly spotlit the dire need to strengthen state security around judicial officers, particularly those adjudicating over volatile political disputes.
It added that the security, both of the lives, properties and families, of judicial officers should be adequately secured in accordance with the United Nations Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary.
The organisation stated that judicial officers should be afforded the best protection possible, particularly when they have special assignments, including protection by the State's State Security Service (SSS) during and after such assignments.
"The attack on Justice Amaize clearly spotlights, once more, the dire need to strengthen state security around judicial officers, particularly those adjudicating over volatile political disputes. The security, both of the lives, properties and families, of judicial officers should be adequately secured in accordance with the United Nations Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary. This means that judicial officers should be afforded the best protection possible, particularly when they have special assignments, including protection by the State's State Security Service (SSS) during and after such assignments. Unless we guarantee the insulation of judicial officers from external pressure and personal threats, we cannot get the Judiciary functioning at optimum capacity."
It however, urged the appropriate authorities to investigate the attack and also to reinforce security around other judicial officers involved in resolving various electoral disputes.
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