The Imo State Police Command has arrested four suspects including a police inspector in connection with the murder of Barrister Chinedu Nwowu.
The police inspector identified as Augustine Odidika was reportedly arrested last Thursday shortly after the gruesome murder of Nwowu in Mgbidi Town last Wednesday.
SaharaReporters learned that the police inspector had threatened to kill the lawyer for which he petitioned the Assistant Inspector General of Police for threats to live, a petition that was yet to be investigated before he was murdered.
Chairman of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Owerri Branch, Chief Chris Ihentuge, revealed this development to SaharaReporters on Tuesday in a telephone interview.
According to him, the police informed the NBA delegation, during a visit to the Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command, CP Aboki Danjuma, on Monday.
“During the meeting, the Bar leaders urged the Police to ensure that the perpetrators of this heinous crime are brought to justice. They assured the Police of the willingness of the Bar to collaborate and support the ongoing investigation,” he said.
However, during discussions, the police informed the delegation that investigations have commenced, adding that the case file and suspects had been transferred from the Mgbidi Police Division to the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID).
“The Deputy Commissioner of Police disclosed that four suspects, including a serving Inspector of Police who is also the deceased’s kinsman, have been arrested in connection with the murder. Efforts are also underway to apprehend a warrant officer serving in Enugu who has been implicated in the case,” he said.
He added, “The Police Chiefs assured the Bar of an impartial and thorough investigation. They emphasized that the involvement of a serving police officer would not hinder the pursuit of justice, vowing to prosecute all those responsible for this crime.”
He explained that the reason they were showing much interest was because of the involvement of a police inspector.
He said, “You know they may like to use his position to influence whatever but the commissioner and deputy commissioner have assured us that no matter how highly placed the people involved are that they will do the needful. And one of the persons that they are still looking for is a Warrant Officer in the Army, he is serving in Enugu.
“So they are also putting things in place to make sure that he is apprehended. We assured them that we are going to cooperate with them in whatever they are doing to make sure that justice is served. So the NBA is ready and willing to assist, the person that was murdered is our colleague, so we can’t leave like that.”
He revealed that in the past two years, four lawyers had been killed in the state by unknown assailants.
“Let us say in the past two years, more than four of our colleagues have been killed whether by known people or unknown persons. Last time when a chairman of customary court was murdered in court at Agwa in Oguta local government, we boycotted court, had a protest march to the office of the commissioner of police.
“We are still looking out at the other options but we want to watch how police will investigate this matter,” he said.
Regarding whether the NBA is going to support the police with money to carry out the investigation, he said, “I know in this case that having known that NBA is interested they may not demand money for investigation but if money will prevent it, NBA will fund whatever investigation.
“It is part of our obligation and we do it for people who are not lawyers and what about somebody that is our colleague. So if money will stop the investigation, NBA will come in to help.
“Even the NBA at the national level is also interested in the matter. The president of the association, Mazi Afam Osigwe has been calling us to find out what is happening. So everybody is interested in the matter.”
On whether there has been any clue as to why the lawyer was killed, the NBA branch chairman said the investigation will unravel that, warning against speculation.
He said, “Honestly, I cannot say, all these things will be unraveled by the police investigation, we cannot prejudge the investigation.
“Let them come out with their investigation, it is not good to speculate on some of these things. But the policeman that was arrested, I learned that there was a petition written by the deceased to the Assistant Inspector General of Police against this policeman for threats to his life and the man said that he would kill the lawyer.
“As a result, he wrote the petition for which was yet to be treated before he was murdered.”
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