The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has received with shock, the report of the gruesome killing of the Labour Party candidate for Enugu East Senatorial district, Chief Oyibo Chukwu which sad event took place yesterday 22 February 2023.
The widely reported (but yet to be officially confirmed) news suggests that Chief Victor Oyibo Chukwu – who was, until his untimely death, a legal practitioner and past Chairman NBA Oji River Branch – was shot and his car set ablaze while returning from his party’s political rally in Agbani Enugu State. This occurred the same day that the 18 Presidential Candidates and National Chairpersons of the various political parties in Nigeria signed a Peace Pact to ensure _“the conduct of free, fair, credible, transparent and verifiable elections cognizant of the need to maintain a peaceful environment before, during and after the 2023 general elections”_ and _“to place national interest above personal and partisan concerns”._ It is regrettable that this Pact was violated even before the ink was dry.
According to a signed statement released by the President, Yakubu Chonoko MAIKYAU, OON, SAN, the NBA unequivocally condemns the killing of Oyibo Chukwu and the general atmosphere of violence and desperation that continues to plague our elections. We commiserate with the Chukwu family, particularly his wife, children and brother, Mr Arthur Elvis Chukwu, a past Governor of the Eastern Bar Forum, and the good people of Enugu State on this very tragic event. The entire legal community mourns this painful loss of one of our own.
We call on the security agencies to step up to their responsibilities of not just solving murders and other crimes but prevention of such heinous crimes. We also urge the various political parties to stop paying lip service to the recently signed Peace Pact and call their members and supporters to live by the terms of the Agreement.
We pray that the good Lord will grant us His comfort in this time of grief, amen.