Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari has been reported to Mr. Diego García-Sayán, the UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers over ‘vicious assault on Justice Mary Odili, a judge of the Supreme court.
This is because of the attack on Justice Odili, other unresolved cases of intimidation, harassment of the judiciary and assault on the rule of law in Nigeria since May 29, 2015.”
According to SERAP, “The current investigation by the Nigerian police fails to meet international standards, as it is neither independent nor effective. As such, the investigation is incapable of identifying all the suspected perpetrators and their sponsors, and credibly delivering justice in the matter.
“The unconscionable attacks against Nigerian judges would seem to be a deliberate attempt by the authorities to exert pressure on the judiciary and undermine its independence and authority. These attacks are putting Nigerians’ freedoms at risk.”
SERAP, which launched the report, urged García-Sayán to “put pressure on the government of President Muhammadu Buhari to conduct a credible, thorough, impartial, independent, transparent, and effective investigation into the vicious assault on Supreme Court Justice Mary Odili by rogue officials.”
