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By Iheanyi Chukwudi
The late ex-Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (MBA), Oji River Branch, who was assassinated on February 22, 2023, three days to his Senatorial election, Elder Oyibo Chukwu, has been declared as the martyr of Enugu state politics.
Enugu State Judiciary which made the declaration decried the silence of security agencies on the arrest of the perpetrators of the dastardly act and asked the to take urgent action to bring those behind the assassination to book.
The declaration was part of the rulings at a valedictory court session presided over by Judges of the state led by the Chief Judge, Justice Raymond Ozoemena, in honour of Oyibo Chukwu, at the Honourable Justice I. A. Umezulike Auditorium, High Court Complex, Enugu.
Condemning the brutal assassination of Chukwu who was before his demise the Senatorial candidate of the Labour Party (LP) for the Enugu East Senatorial District, the Judiciary held that the killing and burning of his body, as the highest act of wickedness and violation of his fundamental right to life under section 33 of the 1999 constitution.
Members of Bar who paid tribute to their late colleague laid curses on his killers and expressed regret that nine months after the gruesome murder of the former MBA chairman the security agencies have not made any arrest or prosecuted any one for the callous act.
They therefore called on all the security agencies in Nigeria to ensure that the murderers of Oyibo Chukwu were apprehended and made to face the law.
In his tribute which he presented as a motion on notice, the Chairman Nigerian Bar Association, Enugu State Branch, Chief Charles Nwagbara, unequivocally stated that the government of the state and police have failed in their paramount duty to protect the life of Chief Oyibo and his property as envisaged under section 14(2) (c) of the 1999 constitution and therefore liable to the order sought from the special court session.
Nwagbara in the relieves sought and granted, stated that “Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of (1948), Article 6(1) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of (1966) and Article 4 of The African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights of (1981) in similar manner provided that Human beings are inviolable.
Every human being shall be entitled to respect for his life and the integrity of his person. No one may be arbitrarily deprived of his life.
“Consequently, Nigeria having subscribed to the above protocols in order to align with the right to life as being sacrosanct in section 33(1) of the 1999 constitution provides as follows; Every person has a right to life and no one shall be deprived intentionally of his life, save in execution of the sentence of a court in respect of a criminal offence of which he has been found guilty in Nigeria."
“My lord we submit that the way and manner Barr Oyibo was killed and had his life gruesomely deprived runs contrary to provisions and dictates of the above protocols particularly the provisions of Section 33(1) of the 1999 constitution because he was not charged or accused, tried or found guilty of any crime, yet he was arbitrarily killed in such a wicked manner."
"My Lord, we further submit as a conscious group NBA Enugu branch and other branches in Enugu state the next morning, on 27th February 2023 made a press conference where and when we gave a warning to those terrorising Igbo land and requested the police to arrest the killers of Barr Oyibo but till date, no information on any arrest or investigation over his murder has been heard.
“We may not know the killers of Barr Oyibo but God surely knows. ...I, therefore call on those who killed Oyibo, all serial killers and kidnappers terrorising South East and Enugu state in particular to repent and submit themselves to justice."
Otherwise, they should be ready soon to face the vengeance and wrath of God,” adding that “Those who kill by sward or other means shall also be killed through such means.”
The Court granted all the reliefs sought.
Others who paid tribute included the chairman of Oji River BAR, Kingsley Olemeforo who stated that Oyibo in his resolve to restore the dignity of the good people of Enugu State and Enugu East Senatorial district in particular, fought relentlessly without tire for his precious good name from "the predatory prowl of the wicked, and made a huge success of it through the instrumentality of the legal profession and the democratic political space.”
He also said, “More than nine months after his gruesome murder there had been no news of the arrest and prosecution of the suspects in that crime thereby putting a huge question mark on the proficiency of the robust investigative mechanisms of the law enforcement agencies."
"When eventually the felons are apprehended, do we have trust and confidence that justice would be served?”
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