Lawyers hit street over murder of colleague [Photos]

Lawyers in Anambra State on Monday held a peaceful march in Awka over the rising cases of insecurity and the murder of their colleague, Francis Onwuachi, by gunmen. 

The lawyers, under the aegis of Committee of Chairmen and Secretaries of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), also announced that they will stay away from courts in the state between March 22 and March 24 ,2021.

                                                         Late Onwuachi

LIB reported that the late Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Onitsha branch, was kidnapped by gunmen along Ezu River/Anaku road on Friday, March 12. His corpse was found a week later after series of intensive and coordinated attempts by the state government through the various security agencies to rescue him alive.

The legal practitioners, in their hundreds, drawn from the seven NBA divisions in Anambra State, began the protest at the Anambra State Judiciary Headquarters, Awka, from where they marched to main gate of Anambra State Government House, Awka.

They condemned the murder of the late President General of Omor Community in Ayamelum Local Government Area and appealed to Governor Willie Obiano to nail the masterminds of the heinous act.

Addressing the protesting lawyers, the Secretary to the Government of Anambra State, Professor Solo Chukwulobelu, flanked by other senior government officials, assured them that the state government has already made intense efforts to nip the gruesome development in the bud, as the governor has pledged that those who want to distort public safety would be made to pay.

Governor Obiano had on March 21, 2021, read a statewide address on the current security challenges in Anambra State, stating that every responsive action is being taken to checkmate the sudden trend and bring those who are bent on abridging the comparative peace that had existed in Anambra State over the past seven years to book, with preliminary arrests of suspects already made.

The governor also urged the youth, market union leaders, community leaders and other stakeholders in the state to rise to the emerging security threats to protect the state against deadly incursions and help government defeat these enemies of people.