Courts Shut As Lawyers Strike Over Imo Judge’s Killing

The late Judge, Nnaemeka Ugboma

Following the killing of Nnaemeka Ugboma, the magistrate in charge of Ejemekwuru Customary Court in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo state, by gunmen, lawyers and judges on Monday, embarked on a three-day strike.

Ugboma was on Thursday afternoon shot dead by fleeing gunmen while presiding over a session in court.

In a bid to express their anger over the magistrate’s killing, the five branches of the Nigerian Bar Association in the state on Monday embarked on a strike.

Our correspondent who monitored the situation in Owerri on Monday observed that no court at the State High Court at new Owerri nor the Magistrate Court at Orlu road was sitting.

The judges too did not come to court as the premises became shadows of themselves.

The NBA chairman in Owerri, Ugochukwu Allinor, said the measure was being taken to urge government to apprehend the killers of the magistrate and for the courts to be adequately protected.

“This dastardly act is highly condemnable as it desecrates the temple of justice and undermines the confidence of the citizens in the judiciary as the last hope of the common man.''