Crisis brews over withdrawal of the orderly of a Judge who gave judgment against the police in Rivers State
By Chinedu Oguh, Port Harcourt
The decision of Rivers State Police Command to withdraw the Police Orderly of Judge who gave judgment against police is not going down well with many especially The Society for Rule of Law in Nigeria, (SELN) who described the withdrawal of the police orderly attached to a judge in Rivers State who gave judgment against the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) in a Suit Number PHC/17685/CR/2024, as worrisome and an abuse of power, which must be condemned by all Nigerians.
The group, in a statement issued by its Coordinator, Dr. Chima Ubeku, said the Nigeria Police Force must be reminded that its authority is derived from the people, not imposed upon them, urging the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to urgently investigate the circumstances surrounding the withdrawal of the Judge’s Orderly and ensure the immediate restoration of her security.
SRLN called on the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), the National Judicial Council (NJC) and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to unite to defend the independence of the Judiciary, lamenting the danger in leaving the guardians of justice exposed.
The statement read in part: “In a development that has ignited national debate over judicial independence and police accountability. The High Court of Rivers State recently delivered a ground breaking judgment in Commissioner of Police vs. Joy Uwheraka and others (Suit No PHC/1785/2024) exposing grave inconsistencies, abuses of process, and unlawful conduct within the Nigeria Police Force”.
The statement continues, “The judgment rendered by a judge of the High Court of Rivers State, not only exonerated innocent citizens wrongly charged with murder but also reaffirmed the supremacy of the constitution over the coercive arms of state policies.
In the wake of this bold judicial pronouncement, reports have surfaced that the police authority have withdrawn the judge’s Orderly, a move widely perceived as an act of retaliation and intimidation. This action is not only unconstitutional but strikes at the very heart of Nigeria’s democracy”.
The statement further read, “In the 2025 judgment, the court meticulously dissected the prosecution’s case, exposing contradictions, false testimony and fabricated evidence advanced by police witnesses contradicted themselves under cross-examination, fabricated statements and failed to establish credible evidence of guilty against the twelve arrested and charged with murder following a road side altercation”.
According to the statement, the court’s findings revealed that the so-called “eye witnesses” among the police gave mutually inconsistent testimonies, often contradicting video and forensic evidence tendered by the prosecution itself. Exhibit P23A (a video recording of the scene) showed that the defendants were unarmed, unaggressive and non-violent, directly disapproving the police narrative that they had killed a female officer with planks and stones.
“In a rare show of judicial candor, the court condemned the police for manufacturing evidence, coercing statements and speaking from both sides of their mouth”. The court described the prosecution’s conduct as “a gross abuse of the criminal process that offends the conscience of justice”. Ultimately, all twelve defendants were discharged and acquitted; reaffirming that justice must not be built on deceit or oppression.
Shortly after this historic judgment, the police reportedly withdrew the Judge’s Orderly, an unmistakable institutional reprisal.
The group fears that such a measure, coming immediately after a decision unfavorable to the police, sends a dangerous message, that judges who refuse to rubber-stamp abuses may be punished.
The action against the Rivers State Judge, the group further said is a litmus test for Nigeria’s democracy. “It is a moment for the nation to decide whether it will allow fear to silence the fearless.”
They further added that judiciary’s independence is the heart beat of any free society. “To punish a judge for doing her job is to erode the foundations of that freedom,” he group concluded.
But the police said that the withdrawal of the Orderly had nothing to do with the unfavorable court judgment. According to the Spokesperson of the Rivers’ State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko a Superintendent of Police, the officer was among those on emergence call for deployment to Anambra State for the off-cycle gubernatorial election, with other police personnel, a routine operational requirement affecting multiple personnel, not exclusive to judiciary.
In her words: “Upon their return, the officer(s) will immediately return to their duty posts. This action was not targeted at a particular judge or judiciary as we are all partners in the administration of criminal justice and the importance of our role to adequately provide security for our Judges while discharging their duties”.
“The deployment was a legitimate national assignment and we remain steadfast in safeguarding all members of the judiciary and the entire good people of our dear Rivers State with integrity and honour,” said Grace Iringe-Koko.
Steven Adums who spoke to Tentacle questioned why the people are crying as if the judge is facing a threat to her life and her job for him, there is no big deal if the police orderly was reassigned for another important assignment.
“Imagine how they value the protection of a Judge but refuse to urge the Federal Government of Nigeria to respect and support the retired Police Officers by excluding them from CPS imposed on them to enslave their entire family members. What a strange country, called Nigeria,” said Steven Adums.
Investigations showed that she was the only Judge in the State that her Orderly was withdrawn by the police for another assignment for the just held off-cycle governorship election in Anambra State.
