The Society for Rule of Law in Nigeria (SRLN) has condemned the reported withdrawal of a police orderly attached to a Rivers State High Court judge who recently delivered a judgment against the police, describing the move as “worrisome, unconstitutional, and a gross abuse of power.”
The group, in a statement on Friday signed by its Coordinator, Dr. Chima Ubeku, said the action was capable of undermining the independence of the judiciary and eroding public confidence in the justice system.
SRLN called on the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to immediately investigate the circumstances surrounding the withdrawal and ensure the prompt restoration of the judge’s security detail.
“The Nigeria Police Force must be reminded that its authority is derived from the people, not imposed upon them,” Ubeku said.
“The inspector-general must act swiftly to reverse this disturbing action and reaffirm the force’s respect for judicial independence.”
The group also urged the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), the National Judicial Council (NJC), and civil society organizations to jointly defend the judiciary, warning that “leaving the guardians of justice exposed” poses grave risks to democracy.
The controversy follows a recent judgment delivered by the High Court of Rivers State in Commissioner of Police v. Joy Uwheraka & others (Suit No: PHC/1785/CR/2024), which reportedly exposed serious procedural abuses and inconsistencies in a murder case prosecuted by the police.
In the judgment, the court acquitted 12 defendants accused of killing a female police officer during a roadside altercation, ruling that the prosecution failed to establish credible evidence of guilt.
According to the court’s findings, police witnesses contradicted themselves under cross-examination, fabricated statements, and presented false testimony.
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Video evidence shown in court reportedly revealed that the defendants were unarmed and non-violent, contradicting the police account that they attacked the officer with planks and stones.
The court condemned what it described as “a gross abuse of the criminal process that offends the conscience of justice,” and acquitted all 12 defendants, stressing that “justice must never be built on deceit or oppression.”
However, shortly after the judgment, reports emerged that the police authorities had withdrawn the judge’s orderly — a move widely perceived as an act of retaliation.
SRLN warned that such an action, if confirmed, “sends a dangerous message that judges who refuse to rubber-stamp abuse may be punished.”
“The action against the Rivers State judge is a litmus test for Nigeria’s democracy,” the group said.
“It is time to decide whether we will allow intimidation to silence judicial courage. The judiciary’s independence is the heartbeat of any free society. To punish a judge for doing her job is to erode the foundations of that freedom.”
