Yenagoa—A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Commissioner in Bayelsa State, Engr. Udengs Eradiri has condemned the violence that led to shootings at a State High Court in Bayelsa on Wednesday.
Describing the incident as one too many, Eradiri called on the state chapter of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) to wake up from its slumber and protect the temple of justice in Bayelsa.
It was gathered that thugs loyal to the two factions of the APC clashed in the court when a matter challenging the party’s congresses came up for hearing.
Eradiri, a former President of the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) recalled that three similar incidents happened in the past with the NBA taking no drastic measures to punish the perpetrators.
He said the lack of punitive measures had emboldened recalcitrant individuals to visit judges, lawyers and court officials with violence in a bid to settle their political scores.
His words, “It is unfortunate that Bayelsa among other states in the country is trying to make violence in the temple of justice a norm. The Wednesday incident in my calculation is the fourth in the series of desecration of the temple of justice in our dear state.
“In each judicial assault, political actors deployed their armed thugs to harass, intimidate and in some cases injure judicial officials as a way of frustrating cases they reasoned would not be in their favour.
“These disgraceful acts have cast a serious dent in the judicial image of the state. In the case of Wednesday, we learned that gunshots were fired. This is demonic, unacceptable and steps must be taken to avert recurrence.”
Eradiri said physical attacks and abuses on courts in Bayelsa had affected the development and practice of the legal profession in the state.
He explained that out of fear of such harassment, most high-profile political cases were being moved to other areas like Lagos and Abuja, lamenting that it had affected the growth and popularity of lawyers in the state as well as the Bayelsa economy.
Eradiri sued for peace in Bayelsa APC and appealed to leaders to rein in their supporters and adopt public conduct befitting of an opposition party seeking the mandate of the people to govern Bayelsa.
He called on security agencies to thoroughly investigate the attack, and arrest and prosecute perpetrators of the dastardly act.
Meanwhile, the Bayelsa State Police Command has remanded two suspects in prison custody for their involvement in the invasion of the Bayelsa State High court and attack on the judge.
The male suspects, Promise Ogilogi and Azibabin Adiki were arrested on Wednesday.
In a statement by SP Asinim Butswat,
Police Public Relations Officer, Bayelsa State Command, the Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Ben Nebolisa Okolo, fdc charged Police operatives to intensify efforts to arrest the fleeing suspects.
He warned that “the command is poised to deal decisively with anyone or group of persons who hide under any guise to disrupt the existing peace in the State.”
The statement assured members of the public, particularly the Judiciary that adequate security measures have been put in place, to ensure the safety and sanctity of the courtroom and to forestall future occurrences.
