Crime

The Plight Of Nigeria’s Judges And Lawyers Risking Their Lives Daily.

Published

3 years ago

December 18, 2022

To thrive in Nigeria’s legal profession these days, practitioners and judges must be skilled in the martial arts, have Olympian-level foot speed, be proficient with weapons, and have extensive training in subterfuge.

Regrettably, these are not included in the Nigerian Law School curriculum or in judicial orientation.

....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Even with these talents bolstered by a wing and a prayer, becoming involved in the legal process in Nigeria today is often perilous.

In August 2015, Nigeria’s State Security Service (SSS) announced that they had apprehended members of a kidnapping syndicate who were planning to kidnap judges sitting on election petitions in Owerri, Imo state’s capital. They identified the syndicate’s boss as Chibueze Henry, who operated under the pseudonym Vampire.

Charges were filed against Vampire and his crew, and their trial commenced the following year in Owerri.

The High Court in Owerri now occupies a prominent piece of real estate, within shouting distance of the State Governor’s office and the headquarters of the Imo State Police Command.

Gates control access to the premises, which are managed by security personnel who are public officials.

The trial of Vampire and his gang was set to resume in one of these facilities’ courtrooms on the morning of January 27, 2017.

As officials from the Nigeria Prison Service (as it was then known) drove into the court grounds, a black Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) at the back of the convoy rushed past them before coming to a complete halt.

A swarm of men armed with assault rifles descended from the SUV and began shooting indiscriminately.

As judges, court employees, lawyers, and court users fled , the attackers freed Vampire and up to 29 other captives.

The incident killed at least two people and injured many more.

For more than a decade, Imo State, where this incident occurred, has been a hotbed of targeted violence against judges and lawyers.

In March 2011, the state’s high court justices went on strike to protest the kidnapping of one of their colleagues, Theophilus Nzekwe.

Outrage As Baze University Abuja stops 185 Amnesty students' Exams Due To Unpaid Fees

Ambrose Egu, the president of the state’s Customary Court of Appeal, and senior Magistrate Pauline Njemanze were abducted on official business near the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport near Owerri a year ago.

Magistrate and court inspector, Oderachukwu Onumajulu, was not so lucky. As a child, Odera always desired to be a judge. In 2016, she climbed the first rung in her ambition when she was admitted to the Nigerian Bar. Three years later, she became a Magistrate in Imo State. On 22 May, 2021, unidentified men shot and abducted Odera at the Customary Court of Appeal in Owerri, where she worked as courts inspector. One month later, in June 2022, she died from her injuries.

The National Salaries,Incomes and Wages Commission Commences Process For Review Of National Minimum Wages.

Odera was the second judicial figure to be killed in line of duty in the state in as many years. On 23 November, 2018, a body found dumped along Amucha Road in Njaba Local Government Area (LGA) in Orlu Zone, Imo State, was identified as the remains of Remi Ogu, a Chief Magistrate in the neighbouring Oru LGA.
Remi and his court registrar, Uju Nwanne, were abducted the previous day from their duty post. In March 2019, the police in the state paraded one Friday Nnaekezie, who claimed that he masterminded the abduction and killing of the Chief Magistrate.

Owasanoye: ICPC Recovers N117 Billion In Eight Months.

Orlu zone, where Remi was killed, has become the epicentre of mass atrocities committed in the name of agitation.

Three months before Remi’s murder, in August 2018, unidentified men incinerated the High Court and Magistrate’s court buildings in the city with all their records and archives.They returned four years later, on December 17, 2022, to complete their evil act.

Stay away from entertainers, a lawmaker advises the NDLEA

Darlington Odume, who became a lawyer in 2016, was one of the more outspoken voices at the Orlu Bar.

The people revered him for his fighting skills, comparing him to a lion.

They dubbed him “Omekagu” as a result.

Unidentified gunmen assassinated Omekagu in mid-September 2021, while he was out shopping for food for his family in Orlu. He was married to a policewoman in a city where being linked with one had become perilous.

The year 2021 was exceptionally disastrous for lawyers across the country.

A month after Omekagu’s murder in Orlu, Ajah Ogbonna Ajah and another of his colleagues, both lawyers, were assassinated on the road on their way to court in Abakaliki, the capital of Ebonyi State in south-east Nigeria, by unidentified gunmen.

They were far from the only victims in the region or during the year.

Stanley Nnaji, a former High Court judge, was slain on the streets of Enugu State in May by unknown Gunmen.

Bandits Seize Newly Married Couple In Zamfara Abduction

In November 2021, seven unidentified guys macheted Kenechukwu Okeke to death in Nkpor, Anambra State.

They murdered him in front of his wife and young daughter.

Okeke, a lawyer, had been vocal in his support for Nigeria’s government ban on Twitter.

These killings of lawyers, magistrates, and judges were not limited to South-East Nigeria. On 17 February, 2021, gunmen shot and killed Nkiru Agbasu, a pregnant lawyer, along the Warri-Sapele Road in Delta State.

As in Imo State, Nkiru died in a state with a record of no consequences for the killing of lawyers. In March 2014, unidentified gunmen reportedly dressed in police uniforms assassinated two lawyers, Eguno Dafiaghor and Samuel Ekuwangi on the Azoro-Asaba motorway in Delta State. It was widely suspected that they “were murdered as a result of the high profile case they were handling at the High Court, Ozoro.”

Sweden’s Central Bank Slashes Interest Rate Again as Inflation Stabilizes

A little more than a year later, in April 2015, unidentified men assassinated the chair of the Nigerian Bar Association in Ughelli, Austin Icheghe, at his home in front of his family, with no repercussions.

Insecurity among lawyers in Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal Capital, is also explained by impunity.

Police discovered the mangled remains of Ijeoma Micah in her law office in affluent Maitama, Abuja, in October 2013.

She’d been gone for three days.

Seven years later, another lawyer, Ben Okpe, was assassinated outside his house in Karu, near Abuja.

Terrorists hijacking the Abuja-Kaduna train killed Farida Sule Mohammed, a young Abuja lawyer, in March 2022. She was 29 years old.

Suleiman Zailani was assassinated in August, and Sadiq Gaya in September. At the end of November, unidentified gunmen in the Federal Capital assassinated senior lawyer, Steven Eke, in the presence of his wife and son.

Feyitayo Obot was assassinated in her hotel room at the end of January 2019 while on professional business in Lagos; about two months after the shooting of Adeshina Adeola on the outskirts of Abuja in the week of his admission to the Nigerian Bar in November 2018.

LASTMA Issues Travel Advisory Following Auto Crash On VI, Lekki Corridor

The murders and kidnappings of lawyers and judges described here are only a small part of the story.

They are distinct in three ways.

For starters, the criminals almost always get away with it.

Second, any society that tolerates such attacks on its courts, judges, and lawyers is a lawless society.

Third, the NBA does not currently have a dedicated program in place to ensure accountability for these attacks on lawyers and judges.

Crime

ADC Gains Momentum In Southeast Following Peter Obi’s Entry.

Published

2 months ago

January 5, 2026

NivoNews

According to Nivo News, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) welcomed 5,000 new members in Abia State on Saturday, following the recent entry of former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, into the party.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The National Salaries,Incomes and Wages Commission Commences Process For Review Of National Minimum Wages.

The mass defection was led by Bishop Emeka Nwankpa, the 2023 governorship candidate of the Accord Party, in his hometown of Umuaku, Ntigha, Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area. Supporters who joined him also left their former political affiliations, including the South East Mandate for Good Governance, to align with the ADC.

Bandits Seize Newly Married Couple In Zamfara Abduction

Nwankpa explained that his decision to join the ADC was driven by a strong conviction, noting that the party’s manifesto resonates with his political philosophy, emphasizing people-oriented governance, social justice, and sustainable development. He described the ADC as a credible, progressive platform capable of fostering inclusive governance and rebuilding public trust in Nigerian politics.

Young Woman Advises Peer To Prioritize Studies Over Relationship

The Abia State Chairman of the ADC, Don Norman Obinna, formally welcomed Nwankpa and his followers, stating that the country’s political trajectory is increasingly favoring the ADC.

Edo's New Deputy Governor Embraces Existing Plans, Vows To Uphold Ongoing Developments

Crime

Abia Police Arrest 809 Suspects, Recover 88 Firearms In 2025 Crackdown.

Published

2 months ago

December 19, 2025

NivoNews

The Abia State Police Command has reported the arrest of 809 suspects and the recovery of 88 firearms in 438 cases across the state from January 2025 to date.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Owasanoye: ICPC Recovers N117 Billion In Eight Months.

According to Nivo News, Commissioner of Police Danladi Isa provided the update on Friday during a briefing at his office, outlining the operational strategies and achievements of the Command during the period under review. He disclosed that 435 rounds of ammunition were recovered from suspected criminals and that over 200 suspects have been successfully prosecuted, with several jailed for various offenses.

Anambra LG Poll: Voters Frustrated By Late Arrival Of Electoral Officers And Materials

The CP further revealed that 33 children who had been kidnapped or trafficked were rescued within and outside the state, with the suspects involved prosecuted and some already imprisoned. “We have sent a lot of people to jail. A clear message has been passed that it is no longer business as usual for criminals in Abia State,” Isa stated.

Young Woman Advises Peer To Prioritize Studies Over Relationship

He highlighted that the state’s crime rate has declined under his leadership, attributing the success to support from Governor Alex Otti, provision of logistics, and collaboration with community stakeholders. Isa also noted that officers encountered non-state actors on several occasions, who were neutralized and disarmed.

Crowd storm The Tinubu Mega Event In Lagos.

The Police Commissioner urged residents to continue providing credible information on suspicious activities to further strengthen the fight against crime. Firearms and other weapons recovered from suspects were displayed at the Police headquarters in Umuahia for the media.

Sweden’s Central Bank Slashes Interest Rate Again as Inflation Stabilizes

Crime

Major Breakthrough As Police Arrest Suspects In Sophisticated Microsoft Email Hack.

Published

3 months ago

December 18, 2025

NivoNews

According to Nivo News, the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF–NCCC) has arrested high-profile cybercrime suspects linked to a sophisticated Microsoft 365 phishing operation that targeted the email systems of major corporate organisations.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The arrests followed actionable intelligence received from Microsoft Corporation in the United States through the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which exposed the deployment of an advanced phishing toolkit known as RaccoonO365. The toolkit was designed to create counterfeit Microsoft login pages capable of harvesting user credentials and unlawfully accessing corporate, financial, and educational email platforms.

Nigerians React To PDP Youth Protest, Urging NJC Review Of Court Of Appeal Rulings

Briefing journalists in Abuja on Thursday, the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed that the cybercrime centre launched a coordinated, intelligence-led operation in partnership with Microsoft, the FBI, and the United States Secret Service. He explained that investigations traced multiple cases of unauthorised Microsoft 365 account access recorded between January and September 2025 to phishing emails crafted to closely mimic legitimate Microsoft authentication portals.

House of the Dragon review – this Game of Thrones prequel is Spectacular..

According to police findings, the cyberattacks resulted in business email compromise, data breaches, and significant financial losses across several jurisdictions. Acting on precise intelligence, NPF–NCCC operatives conducted targeted operations in Lagos and Edo states, leading to the arrest of three suspects. Searches carried out at their residences yielded laptops, mobile phones, and other digital devices, which forensic analysis directly linked to the fraudulent activities.

LASTMA Issues Travel Advisory Following Auto Crash On VI, Lekki Corridor

Further investigations identified Okitipi Samuel, also known by the aliases “RaccoonO365” and “Moses Felix,” as the principal suspect and alleged developer of the phishing infrastructure. Police said he operated a Telegram channel through which phishing links were sold in exchange for cryptocurrency and hosted fake login portals on Cloudflare using stolen or fraudulently obtained email credentials.

EPL: Rio Ferdinand Predicts Short Stint For Ivan Toney At Arsenal"

The police clarified that there was no evidence connecting the two other arrested individuals to the creation or management of the phishing scheme. The Nigeria Police Force reiterated its commitment to protecting the country’s digital environment through the use of advanced technology, enhanced international cooperation, and thorough investigative and prosecutorial processes aimed at combating evolving cyber threats.

Stay away from entertainers, a lawmaker advises the NDLEA