Senate has decided to debate invasion of Supreme Court Justice, Mary Odili’s residence by security agencies as urgent national importance at the plenary session.
Security operatives had on Friday night invaded the house of the Supreme Court justice based on information that “illegal activities” were going on there.
This is just as the Chief Justice of Federation, Justice Mahamud Tanko has kept mum 72 hours after the invasion.
Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, made this disclosure during an oversight visit to the Chief Justice of Nigeria ((CJN) in his office on Monday in Abuja.
The Chairman said, “We cannot pretend not to be unaware of the embarrassing situation of invasion of residence of Justice Mary Odili on Friday night by security agencies, without joining issue with anyone, we take the matter seriously. By the time we are back to plenary session, we will discuss the matter as urgent of national importance.”
Speaking on the budget of the judiciary in 2022, Senator Bamidele said ,”It is trite to state that 2022 budget estimate for the judiciary is N120 billion only representing an increase in the sum of N10 billion , over the sum which was appropriated in the 2021 Appropriation Act.
“Even though this increase is not enough to meet the competing needs and challenges of the judiciary, we must commend the present administration for listening to the voice of reason and clamour from various quarters advocating increased funding for the judiciary.”
Responding to the Chairman’s opening remark, the Chief Justice of Nigeria disclosed that there is no any interference from legislators or Executives arm of government on their activities, adding that the National Assembly has not failed the judiciary.
According to him, legislative arm of government has not failed us , there is nothing that we want that has not been granted by the lawmakers, you are doing the right thing , if you see that something is going wrong with judiciary, call our attention to it. There is no interference from Legislature and Executive on our activities.”
He submitted that the judiciary is ready to accept correction if something is going wrong.
In her submission, the Acting Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, Hajo Sarki Bello informed the lawmakers that 75 per cent budget performance had been recorded in term of releases and 60 per cent in expenditure.
She said that N368 million was appropriated to cater for the official vehicles of the Hon. the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the Hon. Justices of the Court.
He added that last year, eight Hon. Justices were appointed in to the bench of the court and the sum was therefore for the procurement of one additional vehicle each for eight newly appointed Justices in the interim pending the availability of the funds to procure the remaining vehicles.