Armed gunmen shoot local judge dead in Imo State while he presides over court session

ARMED gunmen attacked and murdered local judge Nnaemeka Ugboma the current chairman of Ejemekwuru Customary Court in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State while he was sitting in court.

In the first ever such killing of its kind, the judge was killed in a drive-by shooting by men riding a motorcycle while presiding over a court session. His murder brought the court sitting to an abrupt end as lawyers, court staff and litigants fled for dear life after the attack.

Local people also fled as the killing caused panic in the Ejemekwuru community with residents fleeing  their homes. Mr Ugboma is said to have hailed from Nnebukwu community in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State.

One local source said: ” The jurist was a law graduate of 1991 set. He 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 drove off.

“His corpse was there as people in court fled. The whole thing is confusing because nobody knew any reason while they killed him. He was from the Nnebukwu community in Oguta Local Government Area here.”

Ugochukwu Allinor, the chairman of the Owerri branch of the Nigerian Bar Association, who confirmed the killing, said that they would communicate to the public what actions they would take on the matter. It is not yet clear of any arrests have been made by the police over the killing.