The five branches of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Imo State have commenced a three-day boycott of court, to demand safety for members of the judiciary, Bar, and litigants.
This follows the murder of a Customary Court judge, Nnaemeka Ugboma, in Imo State last week,
Ugboma, who hailed from Oguta, was dragged out during from a court sitting and shot dead by unknown gunmen on Thursday, February 2, 202e.
The NBA branches include Owerri, Mbaise, Etiti/Mbano, Orlu, and Okigwe, all in Imo State.
In a notice to members, the Publicity Secretary of Owerri branch of the NBA, Daniel Odiba, said the boycott runs from Monday to Wednesday.
The notice disclosed that there will be a “coordinated peaceful protest march” on Tuesday “by all the lawyers in Imo State, from the Bar Centre, Magistrate Court complex, Orlu Road, Owerri, to the Government House, Owerri and the Police Headquarters. Take off time is 10:00am.”
It was gathered that already, the lawyers have demanded for “an immediate and thorough investigation into the circumstances leading to the unfortunate incident and to ensure that the culprits are apprehended and made to face the full weight of the law” from the State’s Police Commissioner, Mohammed Ahmed Barde.
The lawyers also called on the Imo State government to immediately provide “security in and around all the courts in Imo State, which have remained porous despite the sensitive role they play in the society.
