NBA Condemns Murder of Former NBA Oji River Branch Chairman

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has condemned the shocking, gruesome killing of the former Chairman of NBA Oji River (2017-2019) and Labour Party candidate for Enugu East Senatorial district, Chief Oyibo Chukwu, which sad event took place on 22 February 2023.

The news of the killing suggests that Chief Chukwu who was, until his untimely death, a legal practitioner, was shot and his car set ablaze while returning from his party’s political rally in Agbani, Enugu State.

This killing occurred the same day that the 18 Presidential Candidates and National Chairpersons of the various political parties in Nigeria signed a Peace Pact, to ensure “the conduct of free, fair, credible, transparent and verifiable elections cognisant of the need to maintain a peaceful environment before, during and after the 2023 general elections” and “to place national interest above personal and partisan concerns”. It is regrettable that this Pact was violated, even before the ink was dry.

In a statement signed by the NBA President, Yakubu Maikyau, SAN, the NBA unequivocally condemned the killing of Oyibo Chukwu, and the general atmosphere of violence and desperation that continues to plague our elections.

“We commiserate with the Chukwu family, particularly his wife, children and brother, Mr Arthur Elvis Chukwu, a past Governor of the Eastern Bar Forum, and the good people of Enugu State, on this very tragic event. The entire legal community, mourns this painful loss of one of our own.’’

“We call on the security agencies to step up to their responsibilities of not just solving murders and other crimes, but prevention of such heinous crimes. We also urge the various political parties to stop paying lip service to the recently signed Peace Pact, and call their members and supporters to live by the terms of the Agreement.’’

The statement further added that, Lawyers and Judges in the five branches of the NBA in Enugu State last Thursday, boycotted court sittings to express anger over the gruesome killing Elder Oyibo Chukwu. The five NBA Branches in Enugu, gave security agencies in the State 48 hours to fish out the perpetrators or await actions from all Lawyers in the State. 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.