The gunmen first shot the lawyer and then targeted his client, who attempted to flee but was also gunned down. The attackers fled the scene immediately afterward
Panic has enveloped residents of Agulu and Nanka communities in Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State following the fatal shooting of a lawyer and his client by unidentified gunmen shortly after a court appearance.
Eyewitnesses reported that the attack occurred without any resistance, as the assailants carried out the killings swiftly and escaped the scene.
Though the exact circumstances surrounding the incident remain unclear, sources indicate that the lawyer had earlier appeared in court with his client before both were trailed and ambushed shortly after the session.
A local source familiar with the incident stated, “The case the lawyer was handling was a major one. The attack took place near the boundary between Nanka and Agulu, along the Amawbia-Agulu-Nanka-Ekwulobia-Uga-Akokwa road, early Thursday morning.
The gunmen first shot the lawyer and then targeted his client, who attempted to flee but was also gunned down. The attackers fled the scene immediately afterward.”
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the police had launched a full-scale investigation.
He disclosed that the state’s Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, had visited the crime scene at Egbebelu village, Nanka, in Orumba North LGA, alongside senior officers and detectives.
According to Ikenga, preliminary investigations suggest that the victims were attacked while returning from a court session, having been trailed and intercepted by the assailants, who were reportedly riding a motorcycle.
“One of the victims, who survived the attack, is currently receiving treatment at a hospital,” Ikenga revealed. “The survivor has been debriefed and has provided critical information that is aiding ongoing investigations.”
He further confirmed that the lawyer, identified as a legal practitioner who had earlier secured bail for an accused person in a pending murder case at High Court II, Ekwulobia, was among the deceased. Their remains have been recovered and positively identified by family members.
A red Toyota Camry, believed to belong to one of the victims, was also recovered from the scene as part of the preliminary investigation.
CP Orutugu has ordered the deployment of tactical and intelligence units to intensify efforts in tracking down those responsible.
“We are committed to ensuring that the perpetrators are brought to justice. Further updates will be provided as the investigation progresses,” Ikenga added.