Nigerian Soldiers Kill IPOB Lawyer’s Personal Assistant, Escape With Corpse, Abduct Four Relatives

More details have emerged about the fatal invasion of the house of the Indigenous People of Biafra’s (IPOB) lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, by Nigerian soldiers in the early hours of Sunday.

It was learnt that the soldiers shot dead the lawyer’s Personal Assistant, identified as Samuel Uzo Okoro, also known as Biggy

It was gathered that the soldiers also put his corpse in the boot of a vehicle belonging to the lawyer and took them away.

An update provided to SaharaReporters by civil society organisation, the International Society for Civil Liberty and Rule of Law, said four of the lawyer’s relatives were also abducted by the military men

A source in the organisation said, “In the wee hours of this morning, his house was invaded by armed soldiers, joined by the police, Department of State Services and civil defence operatives. The invading security operatives jumped the perimeter fence of the compound after cutting its security cable and shooting in different directions.

“The respected human rights lawyer who is also the principal attorney to the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu and several other groups and individuals, was unable to be tracked and abducted or instantly shot dead because he was hiding somewhere in his house.

“The invading government security operatives did not spare the life of the lawyer’s Personal Assistant, Samuel Uzo Okoro (Biggy), who was shot and killed inside the compound. The late Samuel Okoro had woken up as a result of noises and gunshots to find out what was going on when soldiers shot and killed him instantly. Unable to locate the lawyer and having shot and killed his PA, Samuel Okoro, the soldiers and others carried his corpse and dumped same in the boot of a Camry car belonging to Barr Ifeanyi Ejiofor and ordered his chief driver (fondly called ‘Papa’ or ‘Elder’) to drive the car and follow them with the corpse.

“The invading government security operatives also abducted Barr Ejiofor’s elder brother, Joel Ejiofor and the lawyer’s two domestic workers, named Ugochukwu and Chikezie and bundled them away.

“The lawyer’s elder brother, Joel was later pushed out of one of the hilux vans at Ojoto en route Awka, Anambra State and he has since returned alive and unhurt.

“The invading soldiers and other security operatives were also found to have been mobilised from Abuja and Anambra State and from the 302 Artillery Regiment, Onitsha. The police, DSS and Civil Defence operatives came from Anambra State and Abuja.”

SaharaReporters had earlier reported that some soldiers and policemen laid siege to the lawyer’s house.

The reason for this invasion could not be ascertained at the time of filing this report but it might be connected with the lawyer’s legal assistance to the separatist group, IPOB, whose leader is Nnamdi Kanu.

According to a statement sent to SaharaReporters by IPOB spokesman, Emma Powerful on Sunday morning, the security forces shot sporadically before taking away the lawyer.

“Barrister Ejiofor’s house been invaded by Fulani Jihadists soldiers now and they went to eliminate him, the world must hear the evil Nigeria and her security agencies are committing.

“This is 2.30am time they surrounded his country home. Is it an offense for someone to defend IPOB? Barrister Ejiofor is doing his job as a lawyer; where in the world would a legal practitioner be harassed because he represents an organisation?

“The Nigerian Army invaded and burnt his house on 2nd December 2019 and killed more than 10 people. After that, they were still trailing and harassing him. The whole world must hear because Nigerian government must get what they are looking for from IPOB,” the statement had said