Justice Mary Odili: Malami Distances Self From Arrested Suspect

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has distanced himself from invasion of the Abuja residence of Justice Mary Odili.

The Nigeria Police had paraded fourteen suspects behind the illegal raid on the home of the Supreme Court judge on October 29, 2021.

Speaking to newsmen when he was paraded, one of the suspects arrested over the raid, Lawrence Ajojo, said he is a consultant to Malami and a fake Chief Superintendent of Police.

Ajodo had applied to the Chief Magistrate’s Court in Wuse Zone 6, Abuja, for a search warrant which the invading security operatives had tried to execute at Odili’s home on Imo Street, Maitama, Abuja, on October 29.

He claimed in the court document to be acting on behalf of a joint team on assets recovery allegedly being coordinated by the Malami-led Federal Ministry of Justice.

But in a statement on Thursday signed by his spokesman, Umar Gwandu, the Justice minister distanced himself from the arrested fake Police officer.

The AGF also asked the suspect to present proof that shows that he worked as his consultant, describing his confessional statement as “an orchestrated attempt to stir unnecessary controversies and public apprehension”.

He noted that an investigation has commenced to unravel the circumstances and personalities behind the invasion and sponsored campaign of calumny against his person.

Malami's Statement

“The attention of the Office of the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice has been drawn to a confession of a suspect during interrogation in the investigation of the recent invasion of the residence of the highly respected Justice of the Supreme Court; Justice Mary Peter Odili.

“With all the competent, high-level professionals and capable human resources available at the disposal of the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, it only takes the imagination of the evil minds to assume or think that the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice will descend so low to engaging a quack or fake police officer to serve as his consultant.

“We are happy to note that investigation has commenced to unravel the circumstances and personalities behind the invasion and sponsored campaign of calumny against the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.

“It is our desire and we hope that the investigation would also disclose those after the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, those dragging his personality, his name and his exalted office in the dirty politics of disrepute. This is an orchestrated attempt to stir unnecessary controversies and Public apprehension.

“We asked the suspect to present documents of engagements where he worked as a consultant to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, whether in past or now.

“Consultant for what? Which activity or assignment? When was he engaged? What were the terms of references for the alleged consultancy service? When was he engaged? Where was he engaged? Which worked has he executed for the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and the Ministry of Justice? For what duration? And for how much?

“We boldly and unequivocally challenge the fake consultant/police officer to come out with answers or responses to these questions to the general public.

“The honourable attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice superintends over and respects the rule of law and will not do anything to undermine the sanctity of his office and that entire judiciary and justice sector.”