Gunmen kill Presiding Magistrate during court session in Imo

Gunmen, on Thursday, invaded the Ejemekwuru Customary Court in Oguta Local Council of Imo State, while in session, and shot dead the Presiding Magistrate, Nnaemeka Ugboma.

According to sources, the hoodlums, who came in motorcycles, shot sporadically into the air to scare away the litigants, court officials, people in the vicinity and inside the courtroom, before silencing the judicial officer.

He was left in the pool of his blood, while others ran away. His body was later recovered and taken to a morgue.

The deceased, The Guardian learnt, hailed from Nnebukwu Autonomous Community in Oguta Local council of the state, and was a law graduate of the 1991 set.

The Owerri branch chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ugochukwu Allinor, confirmed the incident, but the spokesperson of the Imo State Police Command, Henry Okoye, was yet to confirm, as at press time.

It would be recalled that about two years ago, a magistrate was also killed on the road by gunmen. Same year, a former chairman of the NBA, Owerri branch, Ndionyema Nwankwo, was gruesomely hacked to death in his office on School Road, Owerri. His body was left in his chambers until the next day. His driver was suspected to have committed the crime. He fled after the incident and is yet to be seen.

Members of the judiciary and lawyers are calling on the authorities and the security agents to beef up security in the 27 local councils of the state.

A source said: “He was killed by gunmen, who operated in motorcycles, while presiding over a court session. Nobody knew they were killers.”

Another source said: “The jurist was a law graduate of 1991 set. He was killed in his court. His killers came with motorcycles. They came into the court, dragged him out and shot him dead and drove off. 

“His body was there, while person in the court fled. Nobody knew the reason he was killed. He was from Nnebukwu community in Oguta Local Council. “

His colleague, Emperor Iwuala, in a brief statement, yesterday, wrote: ” My learned brother, His Worship, Nnaemeka Ugboma, Chairman (Judge) Customary Court Ejemekwuru Oguta Local Council, Imo State, was shot dead, yesterday, in court by yet-to-be identified persons. We are, indeed, in a perilous time.”