Enugu Lawyers Boycott Courts Over Murder of LP Senatorial Candidate

Lawyers and Judges in the five branches of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Enugu State on Thursday boycotted court sittings to express anger over the gruesome killing of a former chairman of the association and senatorial candidate of Labour Party (LP) for Enugu East Senatorial District, Elder Oyibo Chukwu.

Chukwu and some of his supporters, were on Wednesday night shot dead by gunmen in a white Hilux van at Eke-Otu Amechi-Awkunanaw Enugu. Their killers later set them ablaze in his vehicle.

To express anger over the killing of the lawyer, the five branches of the Nigerian Bar Association in the State on Thursday gave security agencies in the State 48 hours to fish out the perpetrators or await actions from all lawyers in the state.

Our correspondent, who monitored the situation in Enugu on Thursday, observed no court at the State High Court complex and others across the State sat.

Judges, who were not aware of the decision, rose immediately they received the information.

Speaking with journalists at the court premises in Enugu, the Oji River Branch chairman of the NBA, Seth Nwokolo, said the measure was taken to urge government and security agencies to apprehend the killers of the lawyer and for human lives to be adequately protected.

“We are here to protest over the gruesome killing of our former chairman, Elder Oyibo Chukwu. Chukwu was also the candidate for Labour Party in Enugu East Senatorial District.

“Elder Oyibo Chukwu, whom we are talking about his death was chairman of Oji River Branch between 2017 to 2019.

“Just this morning, the news filtered in that he was gruesomely murdered and assassinated in the company of his followers around Obeagu-Amaechi Road. We are pained by this news and we want the security agencies in Enugu State to ensure that the perpetrators of this heinous act are brought to book.

“We are giving them 48 hours to ensure that the killers are brought to justice. The bar in Enugu State is very embittered with this development. If after 48 hours, nothing happens, we will take a very necessary step as lawyers.

“Already, we have started with boycotting court proceedings in all the courts in Enugu State. Those who were not aware of our decision rose immediately the information got to them because an injury to one is an injury to all”.

He insisted that the killing was politically motivated, expressing worry that the days of terror were gradually returning back to Enugu.

His counterpart in Ezeagu, Chijioke Eze, said: “We are worried that we are not far from the days when political killings were ravaging Enugu State. Witnessing gruesome murder again at this time is a very painful one”.