By Cajetan Mmuta, Awka

Tension mounted in Oraifite, the home town of lawyer for the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Barr Ifeanyi Ejiofor, in the Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State on Sunday as hordes of soldiers, operatives of Directorate of State Services (DSS), policemen and others stormed the area.

The joint team of soldiers, DSS, police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Coors (NSCDC) were said to have invaded the lawyer’s house at 2.30am with 15 hilux vans and alleged native doctor.

During the alleged invasion, the security operatives shot sporadically which reportedly led to the death of two persons and abduction of other relations of the legal practitioner.

ThisNigeria gathered that the awyer’s Personal Assistant, Samuel Uzo Okoro (Biggy) was shot and killed inside the compound.

The late Samuel Okoro was said to have woken up early in the morning on sunday as a result of noise and gunshots to find out what was going on when soldiers allegedly shot and killed him instantly.

Source close to the residence of the lawyer said “Unable to locate the lawyer and having shot and killed his PA, the soldiers and others allegedly 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 security operatives were said to have also abducted Barr Ejiofor’s elder brother, Joel Ejiofor and two domestic staff of the lawyer, whose names were given as Ugochukwu and Chikezie and took them away.

Investigations revealed that Barr Ejiofor’s elder brother, Joel, was later pushed out of one of the hilux vans at Ojoto en route Awka, Anambra State capital

Joe has since returned home alive and unhurt.

The soldiers and other security operatives were discovered to have been mobilized from Abuja and Anambra State including soldiers of the 302 Artillery Regiment, Onitsha and Police, DSS and Civil Defense operatives from the State and their Abuja counterparts.

This is .embers of the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (InterSociety) had condemned the invasion by the security operatives.

According to the source who pleaded not to be mentioned, “the rampaging soldiers and other security operatives stormed the lawyer’s house at Oraifite community in the wee hours of this (Sunday) mornining. The armed soldiers, joined by Police, DSS and Civil Defense operatives had invaded and laid siege to same house at about 2.30am and left around past 4.am. The invading security operatives had jumped the perimeter fence of the compound after cutting its security cable and shot in different directions.”

However, Barr Ifeanyi Ejiofor, a Human Rights lawyer who is also the principal attorney to the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and several other groups and individuals, escaped the attackers by whiskers as they were unable to track and abduct or kill him during the raid.

The source close to the house who claimed to have reached the lawyer alleged sporadic shootings and distressed voices complaining about manhandling by the operatives.

The source said, “We managed to reach Barr Ifeanyi Ejiofor on phone and he confirmed the attack, saying that soldiers, joined by Police and DSS operatives are shooting in different directions and are about breaking into his main compound.

“He also said that he heard the distress voices of his village neighbours panicking and crying, indicating that they must have been abducted and they are likely to include early morning neighborhood sales attendants and those returning from church vigils, etc.

“The activist Lawyer also suspected that some members of his family including siblings, security and domestic aides might have been abducted and that he had returned home for weekend yesterday( Saturday) evening and only informed the Oraifite Area Commander (ACP Afolabi) and few others that he was around.”

Confirming the incident, IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, said, “It’s around 2.30am that they surroumded his country home. Is it an offence for someone to defend IPOB?

“Barr Ejiofor is doing his job as a lawyer; where in the world a legal paractioner would be harassed because he represents an organization?

He recalled that, “The Nigerian Army invaded and burnt his house on 2nd December 2019 and killed more than ten people. Since then, they are still trailing and harassing him. The whole world must hear this because Nigeria government must get what they are looking for from IPOB”.

Meanwhile, Chairman of International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law, (InterSociety) Comrade Emeka Umeagbalasi in a statement on Sunday condemned the invasion, describing it as crudity.

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He said, “By these crudities, the Nigerian Government is setting the country on fire the more.

“Under Nigeria’s extant laws, applicable globally, Barr Ifeanyi Ejiofor and other licensed legal practitioners have the right and duty to represent and defend any citizen or citizens or national or nationals irrespective of gravity of crime(s) alleged to have been committed.

“The security forces of Nigeria are hereby called upon to withdraw and discontinue their siege and follow due process.

“If Barr Ifeanyi Ejiofor is legitimately wanted for any crime, due processes must be followed to the letter. This is more so when he called and informed the chief police officer in the area (ACP Afolabi) of his being around for a weekend rest.”

Reacting, Police spokesperson, Ikenga Tochukwu, said he was yet to receive details of the incident.

“Like you must have noticed, I have been on call since morning. I have been calling to confirm the incident. I have no details on the matter,” he stated
In addition, the NBA Abuja (Unity Bar) had also condemned the attack on Ifeanyi Ejiofor, Esq. by State agents

Chairman of the NBA, Abuja branch, Bulus Atsen in a statement frowned at the action of agents of the federal government.

He said the leadership of the NBA Abuja Branch (Unity Bar) has been reliably informed of the armed attack on the residence of Mr. Ifeanyi Ejiofor, a member of the Branch and Counsel to Mr. Nnamdi Kanu.

Be noted that rhe siege and attack took place at Mr. Ejiofor’s country home in Anambra in the wee hours of Sunday, 6th June, 2021. Mr. Ejiofor, who is committed to the restoration of peace in the Southeast, travelled to Anambra on Saturday 5th June, 2021 to foster that course.

A cording to him “The armed assault which was executed by a joint operation of military personnel, police and NSCDC officers, has left Mr. Ejiofor’s PA, Samuel Okoro, dead, his elder brother, driver and domestic staff arrested and a Toyota Camry conveying the corpse of Samuel Okoro driven away by the security agents.”

The Abuja NBA Chairman points out that Ejiofor’s apartment was riddled with bullets without the slightest provocation.

“It is instructive and unfortunate to note that this assault and harassment by agents of the state on account of Mr. Ejiofor’s legal representation of Nnamdi Kanu at the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, now seems to be the modus operandi of the Federal Government.”

He said “Yhe NBA Abuja Branch condemns the reckless use of State powers to attack lawyers for discharging their functions pursuant to Section 36(6) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

“We call on the Chief of Army Staff, Maj. Gen. Farouk Yahaya and the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, to call the respective personnel to order and commence disciplinary proceedings against those responsible for this assault on Ifeanyi Ejiofor, Esq. and his community.”

“It is disheartening that at a time when the entire country is constantly under siege and ravaged by criminal elements, state resources are prioritized for the intimidation and attack of innocent citizens who have the right to be protected by the government. There is a critical need for state agents to be accountable for state powers vested in them and that can be done by complying with the rule of law and not force.”