The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Imo State held a peaceful protest on Tuesday to address the increasing cases of attacks, killings, and kidnappings in the state.
The demonstration was in response to the recent killing of Nnaemeka Ugboma, the Chairman of the Customary Court in Ejemekwuru, in Oguta Local Government Area who was murdered while on duty in his courtroom.
In addition to the killing of Nnaemeka Ugboma, the lawyers also condemned the murder of Chief Chris Ohizu, the Sole Administrator of Ideato North Local Government Area.
The lawyers marched from their Owerri bar center to the Police Headquarters near the Government House in Owerri, carrying placards to express their grievances.
Some of their placards read “Violent attacks on Imo citizens must end now!! #saveourland#”, “Murder in the court, stain on justice”, and “We demand justice for the slain customary court chairman #JusticeforUgboma”, among others.
A nine-point communique read by the Chairman, NBA Owerri branch, Mr Damian Alinnor, shortly before the protest, expressed concern that the insecurity situation in the state had assumed a worrisome state.
“We hereby call on all manner of persons engaging in violence and killings in the state to cease with immediate effect as the lives of Imo citizens are not worth losing for any reason whatsoever.
“Imo State must not be reduced to a theatre of war for any reason, known or unknown.
“Security agencies should be more tactful in their security approach and be more proactive in the safeguard of the lives and properties of Imo citizens”, he appealed.
Alinnor further called for urgent beefing up of security around the courts, including building a perimeter fence as well as devising a roundtable dialogue between government and non-state actors to address the perceived agitations.
He urged the government to take more proactive actions to safeguard the lives of Imo citizens, especially the members of the bar and the bench.
According to Allinor, until members of the bar in Imo are sufficiently assured of the safety of the judiciary, the bar, and litigants as well, it may advisedly recommend that members desist from attending courts.
“In the circumstance, the members of the bar in Imo have resolved to boycott all courts from Monday, 6 February, to Wednesday, 8 February, and call on the relevant authorities to make clear assurances of safety of the Judiciary, the bar and litigants before court resumes,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the communique was signed by the five chairmen of Owerri, Orlu, Mbaise, Okigwe, and Mbano/Etiti NBA branches in the state.
The NBA members also observed a one-minute silence in honor of the late Ugboma and others, who have lost their lives to insecurity in the state.
NAN reported that neither the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Mohammed Barde, nor any other senior police official attended to the protesters as at the time of report.
Also, the state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Henry Okoye, who picked up a call put across to him, however, said he was in a meeting.
Okoye did not respond to a text message soliciting his reaction on the matter.
