NBA Alerts On Abia Judicial System

Mr Amanze Chikwendu, the Chairman, Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Umuahia chapter, has said that the Abia judicial system is under threat by the Abia Commissioner of Police, Mr Jonathan Johnson.

Chikwendu told newsmen in Umuahia on Friday that the situation had become worrisome “because the threat is from those who claimed to be law enforcement officers.

“A law enforcement officer in the calibre of the person of the commissioner of police would put the judiciary into disrepute to the extent of disobeying court orders, which he was meant to enforce.

“This government claims to be guided by the Rule of Law, but the commissioner’s attitude has constituted a threat to the current democratic dispensation.

“Johnson behaves as if he is sent to rubbish legal practitioners and humiliate the Abia judicial system due to his penchant in disobeying court orders.”

The NBA boss said that the commissioner had made lawyers’ job difficult “because he has thwarted every effort we have made so far to protect the cause of human rights and sees us as mere decorations”.

“Justice Awa Kalu of an Umuahia High Court had on one occasion expressed concern over how he treats the court with disdain and even went ahead to draw the attention of the Police Service Commission to the development,” he said.

Chikwendu cited instances where the commissioner gave orders to re-arrest one Jossy Nnoduechi, who was granted bail by a competent court.

The NBA chairman said that in that particular case, the commissioner alleged that the court lacked jurisdiction to grant the accused bail in that matter.

He said that Johnson’s “open confrontation” with the Bench and Bar had become unbearable.

Chikwendu noted that the police cells in the state were overcrowded with suspects, some of whom he said, were innocent persons or had been freed by the courts.

Also, the Founder, Global Centre for Peace and Justice, Mr Anthony Agbazuere, said that the commissioner by his behaviour had constituted himself as law.

He said: “Johnson has been threatening me because I stood firm to ensure that court orders were obeyed by the state police command.”

The human rights lawyer said the commissioner had used several means including re-opening a case that was concluded in 2009 to bring him down.

Reacting, the Abia commissioner of police said there was no truth in the claims by the NBA and Agbazuere, noting that the NBA was supposed to act within its purview.

Johnson said: “I have never disobeyed any court order and I don’t know the issues they are talking about and I challenge them to make the orders which they alleged that I disobeyed public.