Operatives of the Department of State Service between late Friday night and the early hours of Saturday simultaneously invaded the houses of two Justices of the Supreme Court – Justices Walter Onnoghen and Sylvester Ngwuta – as well as two judges of the ederal High Court, Justices Adeniyi Ademola and Nnamdi Dimgba.
Justices Onnoghen, who is the second in rank and the most likely successor to the outgoing Chief Justice of Nigeria, and Justice Ngwuta are neighbours at the Judicial Officers’ Quarters in Abuja, while Justices Ademola and Dimgba live next to each other at the Apo Legislative Quarters, Abuja.
It was learnt that the DSS operatives surrounded the judicial officers’ houses for hours before they eventually broke in at about 1am on Saturday.
After searching the houses, the security agents eventually took Justice Ademola away at about 5am on Saturday.
The DSS operatives allegedly beat up Justice Dimgba’s brother during the operation.
Close colleagues of the judges confirmed to our correspondent that the security agents presented search warrants of doubtful authenticity with incorrect names.
The reasons for the invasion are not known yet known and the DSS could not be immediately reached for comment.
Justices Ademola and Dimgba have both ordered the release of suspects in the custody of the DSS, but which the security agency did not comply with the order.
It was also learnt that in Gombe, on Friday, men of the security agency arrested Justice Muazu Pindiga, who was the first chairman of the Rivers State Election Petition Tribunal, before he was changed midway into the hearing of the dispute arising from the 2015 governorship election in the state.
In Port Harcourt, Rivers State, a detachment of riot policemen and DSS operatives had stormed another judge’s 35/94B residence, Force Avenue, Port Harcourt but quick intervention of state governor Nyesom Wike stalled the judge’s arrest.
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