Force headquarters yesterday paraded 14 suspects over invasion of the Abuja residence of Supreme Court Justice, Mary Odili, describing them as impostors who were unknown to any of the nation’s security forces.
Force Public Relations Officer, CP Frank Mba, who paraded the suspects at Force Criminal Investigations Department, said one of them is a fake Chief Superintendent of Police, CSP Lawrence Ajojo, while seven others still at large conspired to raid the residence, following information that the Supreme Court Justice was keeping large sum of money in foreign currencies.
“The seven suspects still at large include two soldiers,” the Force PRO said.
Reiterating that the suspects involved in the criminal acts came from different professional backgrounds such as journalism, banking, law enforcement and law, CP Mba said the suspects were not “security operatives.”
He said the criminals/syndicates, including one Stanley Nkwazema, a journalist, were loose canons and document forgers who were on their own and not hired by any personnel of the ministry of justice.
Mba said the Police High Command had commended the resistance put up by the security personnel attached to Odili’s residence for not allowing the suspects access to the building on the day of the incident.
He said it could been the greatest embarrassment to the nation before the International community, if the operation had succeeded.
I am consultant to AGF —Fake CSP
Speaking to reporters, Ajojo owned up that he was not a police officer but claimed he was a consultant to the Attorney General of the Federation.
“I am not an officer of the Nigeria Police Force but I am a consultant to the AGF; he did not send us on the raid on Mrs Odili’s house,” he said.
I didn’t engage fake police officer —Malami
In a swift reaction yesterday, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, denied allegation that a fake police officer that was arrested for participating in the botched invasion of the home of a Supreme Court Justice, Mary Odili, worked for him as a consultant.
Malami, in a statement signed by his media aide, Dr. Umar Gwandu, said his attention was drawn to a confession the said fake police officer made during interrogation.
While dismissing the said confession as “a case of a drowning man scavenging for a dying partner”, the AGF, said he was happy that investigation into the matter had commenced, even as he urged security agencies not only to unravel those behind the invasion, but also those sponsoring campaign of calumny against him.
The statement, read: “The attention of the Office of the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice has been drawn to a confession of a suspect during interrogation in the investigation of the recent invasion of the residencecof the highly respected Justice of the Supreme Court; Justice Mary Peter Odili.
“With all the competent, high level professionals and capable human resources available at the disposal of the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, it only takes the imagination of the evil minds to assume or think that the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice will descend so low to engaging a quack or fake police officer to serve as his consultant.
“This is a case of a drowning man scavenging for a dying partner. We are happy to note that investigation has commenced to unravel the circumstances and personalities behind the invasion and sponsored campaign of calumny against the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.
“It is our desire and we hope that the investigation would also disclose those after the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, those dragging his personality, his name and his exalted office in the dirty politics of disrepute.
“This is an orchestrated attempt to stir unnecessary controversies and Public apprehension. We asked the suspect to present documents of engagements where he worked as a consultant to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, whether in past or now.
“Consultant for what? Which activity or assignment? When was he engaged? What were the terms of references for the alleged consultantancy service? When was he engaged? Where was he engaged? Which work has he executed for the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and the Ministry of Justice? For what duration? And for how much?
“We boldly and unequivocally challenge the fake consultant/police officer to come out with answers or responses to these questions to the general public.
“The Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice who superintends over and respects the rule of law will not do anything to undermine the sanctity of his office and that of the entire judiciary and Justice sector.”
Recall that scores of security operatives had invaded the residence of Supreme Court Justice, Mary Odili’s Maitama residence on the grounds of alleged tip off by a whistleblower, one Aliyu Umar, who claimed to have observed suspicious activities at the Supreme Court Justice’s residence
Consequently, an order by Chief Magistrate Emmanuel Iyanna, was said to have approved the search warrant by a body identified as the Joint Panel Recovery unit in the Ministry of Justice, on October 29, 2021, leading to the invasion of Justice Odili’s home.
The magistrate later revoked the order, saying he was misled while the Police and other security agencies also said they were not aware of the raid.
Stanley Nkwazema is not our staff —THISDAY
Disclaiming one of the suspects, identified as Stanley Nkwazema, the management of THISDAY Newspapers, said: ”The attention of the management of THISDAY NEWSPAPERS has been drawn to the news making the rounds that Mr. Stanley Nkwazema, one of those suspected to have invaded the home of Justice Mary Odili claimed to be a staff and Contributing Editor of THISDAY.
”Contrary to his claim, Mr. Nkwazema is neither a staff of THISDAY nor a contributing Editor. He was a Sports Correspondent and resigned more than 15 years ago.
”However, occasionally, he, like hundreds of other readers of the newspaper, sends for publication articles and analyses and is usually obliged, a privilege THISDAY gives to some of its ex-staff. That does not in any way make him a staff and contributing Editor of THISDAY.
”Since his resignation, THISDAY had at no time contracted Mr. Nkwazema to investigate any story, and we know nothing of his alleged investigation of a story leading to the raid of the residence of Hon. Justice Odili.
”The police authorities and the general public should, therefore, note that Mr. Nkwazema, whatever may be his involvement in this matter, was not acting on behalf of THISDAY in any shape or form.”
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