Gunmen Invade Court, Kill Judge In Imo

Gunmen yesterday attacked Ejemekwuru customary court in the Oguta local government area of Imo State, killing Justice Nnaemeka Ugboma.

The assailants who arrived on motorcycles invaded the court room, dragged the Judge out and shot him dead.

It was gathered that the killers shot sporadically into the air as they fled the scene to an unknown destination.

The killing of the magistrate created confusion and uncertainty as litigants, court staff and residents fled the community.

A source revealed that the slain jurist was a law graduate of 1991 set and hailed from Nnebukwu community in the Oguta local government area of the state.

The source stressed that “he was killed while presiding over a court session by gunmen who came with motorcycles. Nobody knew they were killers.

“The jurist was a law graduate of 1991 set. He was killed in his court while sitting. They came into the court, dragged him out and shot him dead and rode off.

“His corpse was there as people in the court fled. The whole thing is confusing because nobody knew why they killed him. He is from Nnebukwu community in Oguta LGA here.”

A colleague of the victim, Emperor Iwuala who confirmed the killing in a statement he issued on Friday wrote, “my learned brother, His Worship Nnaemeka Ugboma, chairman (judge) Customary Court Ejemekwuru Oguta LGA Imo State was shot dead yesterday in court by yet-to-be identified persons. We are indeed in a perilous time.”

The chairman of the Owerri Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ugochukwu Allinor, confirmed the incident.

The police public relations officer (PPRO) in the state, Henry Okoye, could not pick several calls put across to him to confirm the incident.