Court Attacked By Armed Men During Proceed , Counsel Others Struggle for Safety
The Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA Owerri Branch, Mr Chinedu Agu on Thursday June 2,2022 narrated how he personally escaped death at a Nkwerre Customary Court in Imo state.
The counsel while sharing the Ugly experience in a statement on Thursday, Mr. Agu stated that as the gunshots continued, both litigants and lawyers scampered for safety into nearby bushes.
Mr. Agu is calling on the government to take drastic decisions about courts that sit outside Owerri metropolis.
He explained that immediately, the witness jumped out from the witness box and scaled the Bar. But all I can remember is that in milliseconds, their seats were vacant!!!
In that roudy attempt to scamper for safety, there was jostling, there was squeezing and there was congestion at the narrow court entrance door.
It was then that my goalkeeping arts and skills were called into action, as I dived out from the window in full length .Today, Thursday the 2nd day of June, 2022, will be another memorable day for me in a long list of horrific days foisted on us by insecurity.
Narrating the ordeal he said
” I was in court for continuation of the evidence of PW3 in a matter I had suggested an out of court settlement to the Counsel for the Plaintiffs.
About 6 senior members of the Bar were in court, meaning that I had to watch proceedings and wait for my turn.
The Defence counsel was drilling the witness in the Box when a casual sound was heard in the air, _”tah tah tah.”
Immediately, the witness jumped out from the witness box and scaled the Bar. But all I can remember is that in milliseconds, their seats were vacant!!!
In that roudy attempt to scamper for safety, there was jostling, there was squeezing and there was congestion at the narrow court entrance door.
It was then that my goalkeeping arts and skills were called into action, as I dived out from the window.
Everybody ran hither and thither. I joined the group that foraged into the Bush, as the gunshots were advancing only but two poles away.
In my resplendent suit, I waded through thick bush, brushing aside cassava stems, plants, shrubs, and evading Squirrel Traps.
The rapidly advancing gun shots, the frenetic foot steps inside the bush and the uncertainty of the destination of the run, combined to frighten me as my heart pounded and tried to force it way out from my throat.
The counsel on the other side called that I should run back to the court premises and move my car as everyone had returned to take away their belongings inadvertently left behind.
I ran back to the court, entered my car and zoomed off. As I drove gingerly on the village streets, villagers kept showing me the safest routes.
As I drove from Umuaka Junction, I never met any other car on the road till I got to Nwaorieubi” he revealed.
