Courts across Benue state were shut down on Thursday as members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) staged a protest to demand justice for their slain colleagues. The protest follows the gruesome killing of Barrister Mark Ofikwu, Chairman of the NBA Otukpo Branch, who was shot dead at his residence in Otukpo town last week.
The incident has sparked outrage among legal practitioners in the state, with the NBA describing the targeted killings of its members as unacceptable. In response, lawyers in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, organized a peaceful march from the State High Court to the headquarters of the Nigeria Police Force.
Leading the protest, Terna Yaji (Esq), Chairman of the NBA Makurdi Branch, urged the police to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation into the killing of Barrister Ofikwu. He emphasized the need for immediate action to bring the perpetrators to justice, warning that failure to do so could lead to further attacks and undermine public confidence in the justice system.
“We are here to express our anger and demand justice. Lawyers in this state cannot continue to be targets of violent attacks while the perpetrators walk free. This is not just about Barrister Ofikwu; it is about the safety of all legal practitioners in Benue State,” Yaji said.
The protest was met by Superintendent of Police (SP) Catherine Sewuese Anene, the Public Relations Officer of the Benue State Command, who represented the Commissioner of Police, CP Steven Yabanet. SP Anene expressed condolences to the NBA and assured them of the command's commitment to bringing the culprits to book. She praised the association for conducting the protest peacefully and promised that no effort would be spared in the investigation.
The killing of Barrister Ofikwu has drawn attention to previous unresolved attacks on lawyers in the state. One notable case was the brutal murder of Makurdi-based lawyer Moses Udam and his wife in their home, an incident that remains unresolved to this day.
NBA members, through this protest, have vowed to sustain their call for justice, warning that they will not rest until the killers are identified and prosecuted.
“This is a wake-up call for the authorities,” said a former NBA Makurdi Chairman, Ihundu Titus. “We cannot allow this trend to continue. Justice must be served, and it must be seen to be served.”
