Renewed Calls for Justice in Igwe Assassination Case

Barnabas Igwe, the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association's Onitsha branch, and his pregnant wife Amaka were brutally murdered on September 1, 2002, in Onitsha, Anambra State. The couple was attacked by armed men who intercepted their vehicle, leading to a violent assault that included hacking and shooting.

The incident was linked to the political climate of Anambra State under Governor Chinwoke Mbadinuju, who faced criticism for his administration's failures and was accused of complicity in the murders. The Nigerian Bar Association condemned the killings as an attack on democracy, prompting calls for federal intervention.

In 2003, Ken Emeakayi, then Anambra State Commissioner for Works and Transport, and others were charged in connection with the murders, but the case stalled, leaving families without closure. Human Rights Watch reported credible evidence suggesting a political motive behind the killings, indicating a broader pattern of violence against government critics.