The House alleged that over 40 operatives invaded the premises on the day, “preventing judicial workers, judges, litigants and lawyers from gaining access to their offices and courtrooms.”

A member from Rivers State, Mrs. Betty Apiafi, had raised the incident under matters of urgent public importance, urging the House to condemn it.

She said, “While the siege lasted, the organised hoodlums aided by the F-SARS freely harassed innocent persons.

“Again, public properties were vandalised, equipment and furniture stolen, and vehicles ransacked, damaged.

“The incident was purportedly fallout of the All Progressives Congress’ local government congress, where an aggrieved faction had gone to court to seek redress.

“The other faction with the backing of security men, was out to prevent the court from sitting.”

Lawmakers, who contributed to the debate, condemned the invasion, saying that it was a threat to democracy.

For instance, the Chairman, House Committee on Foreign Relations, Nnena Ukeje, observed that the attack came close to a similar invasion of the Senate by suspected thugs weeks earlier.

She argued that if the legislature and the judiciary could no longer function without fear of intimidation, democracy was under threat.

“Nigerians run to these institutions for succour. But, how can that happen when the judiciary, in particular, is desecrated? Before the judiciary, it was the Senate that was invaded by thugs,” she stated.

The session, which was presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Mr. Yussuff Lasun, passed the motion in a unanimous voice vote.

The NBA, in a statement signed by its General Secretary, Isiaka Olagunju, called on the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, to set up “a high-powered special investigation team” to identify and prosecute the culprits and their sponsors.

This came on the heels of Monday’s call by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, for the punishment of the culprits.

The CJN had in a statement issued on his behalf by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Awassam Bassey, said if “the enemies of our peace and democracy” are allowed to go scot-free, it would motivate them to unleash similar attacks on the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court whenever they are displeased by the courts’ decisions.

The NBA said on Tuesday that the court invasion was an attempt to ridicule the judiciary and also to undermine the integrity and powers of the judiciary, calling on the IG to bring the perpetrators to book.

The statement read in part, “The NBA condemns vehemently the unacceptable act of these thugs who attacked the premises of the High Court of Rivers State, Port Harcourt Judicial Division thereby destroying properties and leaving several persons injured.

“The height of the attack was said to be when a sitting judge was chased out of the court premises by these thugs.

“This act is an attempt to ridicule the judiciary and also to undermine the integrity and powers of the judiciary and same shall not be tolerated in any manner.

The NBA on Tuesday sympathised with the Chief Judge of Rivers State, the Acting Chief Judge of Rivers State Hon. Justice I.A. Iyayi-Lamikanra, over what it termed “this act that tried to impede and diminish the integrity and confidence of the people in the Rivers State Judiciary.”

The association also warned all politicians and their aides not to involve the judiciary in their “political mess.”

Also, the Nigeria Labour Congress has condemned the attack on the court in Port Harcourt, describing it as primitive and a desperate plot by their sponsors.

The NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, said an attack on the court was a violation of the sanctity of the judiciary and an invitation to anarchy.

Wabba, in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday, said the nation’s democracy could only stand the test of time with strong institutions.

He admonished the police to fish out and prosecute the perpetrators, “no matter how highly placed.”

“We at the Nigeria Labour Congress condemn the attacks by hoodlums and their sponsors on the court in Port Harcourt. These attacks represent the primitive instincts of the hoodlums and the desperation of their promoters.

“But beyond this, an attack on the court, any court for that matter, constitutes a violation of the sanctity of the Judiciary and an invitation to anarchy,” he stated.

source: http://punchng.com/reps-nba-nlc-want-invasion-of-rivers-court-probed/