In a harrowing sequence of events highlighting the perils of insecurity plaguing Imo State, tragedy has befallen two families as a father succumbed to shock following the news of his lawyer son’s demise at the hands of kidnappers, while another legal practitioner fell victim to gunmen.
Jude Oguejiofor, a highly regarded lawyer and Principal Partner at Oguejiofor & Co Chamber, was ambushed alongside his brother, a medical doctor, as they journeyed to visit their parents on Sunday, February 11. While the medical doctor managed to secure his release, Jude remained in captivity. The family’s anguish deepened when the kidnappers delivered the devastating news of Jude’s death, prompting his previously healthy father to collapse and pass away suddenly.
“The man was healthy while his son was in captivity, but the trauma from Jude’s abduction proved too much for him to bear after we were informed of his death,” a grief-stricken family member lamented.
Meanwhile, in a separate incident underscoring the escalating security crisis in Imo State, gunmen claimed the life of legal practitioner Victor Onwubiko on Saturday, February 10. Onwubiko, based in Okigwe town, Imo State, fell victim to the assailants’ gunfire during an ambush along the Okigwe/Uturu road as he returned to his residence at Abia State University, Uturu.
Despite heightened security measures in the area, incidents of kidnappings and violence persist, casting a shadow of fear over residents and commuters alike. State Police Command spokesperson, Henry Okoye, confirmed both tragic incidents, assuring the public of ongoing efforts by law enforcement agencies to address the prevailing security challenges.
