Gunmen have shot dead the presiding President of Ejemekwuru Customary Court in the Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State, Nnaemeka Ugboma.
The gunmen ambushed the court president, dragged him out while the court was in session and shot him dead at a close range.
The gunmen, who came on motorbikes, shot sporadically as the people fled the scene.
The killing of the jurist caused pandemonium as litigants, court staff and residents fled the helter skelter for safety.
A source said that the slain magistrate was a law graduate of 1991 set and hailed from Nnebukwu community in the Oguta Local Government Area of the state.
He said: “He was killed while presiding a court session by gunmen who operated in motorcycles. Nobody knew they were killers.”
Another witness said: ”The jurist was killed in his court while sitting. His killers came with motorcycles. They came into the court, dragged him out and shot him dead and took off.
”His corpse was there as people in court fled. The whole thing is confusing because nobody knew any reason they killed him. He was from Nnebukwu community in Oguta LGA here.“
President of Customary Court, Ihiagwa, Emperor Iwuala who confirmed the killing wrote: ”My learned brother His Worship Nnaemeka Ugboma Chairman of the Customary Court Ejemekwuru Oguta LGA Imo State shot dead yesterday (Thursday) in court by yet-to-be identified persons. We are indeed in a perilous time.
“We have vowed not to sit until the whole issue is resolved.”
When contacted, the chairman of the Owerri Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association, Ugochukwu Allinor, who confirmed the incident, described it as an “unfortunate situation.
Imo Police spokesman Henry Okoye did not take his several calls.
He was yet to respond as of the time of filing this report.
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