By Eric Ikhilae, Abuja
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has condemned the recent kidnap of Justice Abdu Dogo of the Federal High Court, Akure division, who was reportedly abducted by some unidentified hoodlums in a border town between Edo and Ondo states while he was returning to his station from Abuja about three days ago.
In a statement on Thursday, NBA President, Paul Usoro (SAN) said the judge’s abduction did not only desecrate “our fountain and temple of justice,” but serves as a pointer to the alarming state of insecurity in the country.
Usoro called on the relevant security agencies to do all within their powers to effect the release of the judge and the arrest and prosecution of those behind the crime.
Part of the statement reads: “The more depressing aspect of this incident is that, the NBA has established that Honorable Justice Abdu Dogo’s kidnap is not an isolated incident of security breach against our judges. Some weeks ago, the residence of the head of one of our Federal Courts was invaded and vandalized by burglars who made away with valuables.
“We also understand that some of our Judges – including Court of Appeal Justices – do not even have police orderlies. That is how low and bad the security architecture around our judicial officers is and yet, we claim to prize justice and to be a country that places premium on the Rule of Law.
“In other climes where justice and the Rule of Law are prized, criminal attacks against Judges are considered taboo even by criminals and where they occur, the long arm of the law is deployed to speedily bring the criminals to book.
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“We betray our vaunted esteem for justice and its administration and the Rule of Law when we cannot even protect and secure the men and women who dispense justice in our country. It is not too late to reverse the negative and damning perception that is fostered by the afore-specified security breaches and incidents against our judicial officers.
“For a start, Government and its security and law enforcement apparatchik must secure the immediate and safe release of Honorable Justice Abdu Dogo and ensure that the criminals behind His Lordship’s abduction are met with justice. Beyond that, the entire security architecture around our judicial officers must be immediately rejigged and upscaled in a manner that places premium on their lives and property.
“It truly makes no sense in the Nigeria of 2019 that a judicial officer of any court is not assigned a security detail as of right and without any delay. There is indeed no reason why the homes of our judges should not be well secured and protected with adequate security cordon.
“Our Judges, we must remember, are expected to dispense justice without fear or favour. That “fear” includes fear of criminals. We must now allow our Judges to live and operate under the fear of criminals. Such fear pollutes and desecrates our fountain of justice and by extension the Rule of Law.
“On a general note, the NBA calls on governments at all levels to wake up to their responsibilities and stem the general sense of insecurity that pervades the land. To illustrate, our roads are now so notoriously unsafe that no sane person wants to ply them.
“Almost everyone who can afford to now uses alternative travel modes, mostly air or rail. And yet, the greater majority of our countrymen and women can only afford to travel by road which is generally cheaper than the other modes of transportation.
“And they are daily exposed to the vicious and hurtful activities of criminals and men of the underworld who are now the lords of our roads. Most of these criminal incidents are not reported and are never resolved. And that has emboldened the criminals to the point that, now, even our Judges are targets and victims of these criminal gangs.
“We have repeatedly spoken on the pervasive state of insecurity in our country and the impression which is not being solidified that our governments and security agencies are overwhelmed and have become totally flat-footed. The situation has got worse and is now extremely dire. We however must not lose hope.
“The NBA therefore persists in calling on governments at all levels to please save us from these criminal gangs by protecting our lives and property. Without security, the potentials of Nigeria – be it economic, social, political or howsoever labeled – can never be fulfilled and/or realized.
“Without security we are all endangered and it would only be a matter of time before private armies are formed by groups and individuals for their personal protection. That would be the road to anarchy, and we owe it to ourselves and future generations to pre-empt and prevent such foreboding possibilities.
“The NBA, once again, calls on governments at all levels to please rise up to the security challenges in our land and ensure the security of lives of property generally. In particular, the NBA calls on governments and security agencies to review the security cordon, measures and arrangements around and for our judicial officers and ensure that they are provided with adequate protection and security at all times.
“For the immediate, we call on the security agencies to secure the speedy, safe and unconditional release of Honorable Justice Abdu Dogo and also bring his abductors to book.
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