From Obinna Odogwu, Awka

One person was allegedly shot dead in Oraifite, Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State when a combined team of soldiers, police and DSS operatives stormed the country home of Ifeanyi Ejiofor, the counsel to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

According to sources, the security stormed Ejiofor’s home in the early hours of Sunday at about 4am and ransacked the entire premises. They said that it was during the operation that the lawyer’s Personal Assistant was allegedly gunned down and his corpse taken away.

International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (INTERSOCIETY), in a statement by its board chairman, Emeka Umeagbalasi, and Chidimma Udegbunam, said that it spoke with Ejiofor who had gone into hiding and he confirmed the alleged incident.

The statement read: “The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law has again called Barr Ifeanyi Ejiofor and received updates on the wee hour of this morning’s invasion of his family house at Oraifite by armed soldiers, joined by Police, DSS and Civil Defense operatives.

“They had invaded and laid siege on same 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.

“The named security operatives had also in their jihadist Fulani Herdsmen-like invasion, stormed the scene with fifteen hilux vans and a native doctor whose body was dotted with charms. These were disclosed by Barr Ifeanyi Ejiofor’s elder brother, Joel Ejiofor, who witnessed the attack.

“The respected Human Rights Lawyer who is also the principal attorney to the Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Maazi Nnamdi Kanu and several other groups and individuals, was unable to be tracked and abducted or instantly shot dead because he was hiding somewhere in his house.

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“However, the invading Government security operatives did not spare the life of the Lawyer’s Personal Assistant, Samuel Uzo Okoro (Biggy) who was shot and killed inside the compound. The late Samuel Okoro had woken up as a result of noises and gunshots to find out what was going on when soldiers shot and killed him instantly.

“Unable to locate the Lawyer and having shot and killed his PA, Samuel Okoro, the soldiers and others 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.

“They invading Government security operatives also abducted Barr Ejiofor’s elder brother, Joel Ejiofor and the Lawyer’s two domestic, named Ugochukwu and Chikezie and bundled them away. The Lawyer’s elder brother, Joel was later pushed out of one of the hilux vans at Ojoto en route Awka, Anambra State and he has since returned alive and unhurt.

“The invading soldiers and other security operatives were also 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 Anambra State and their Abuja counterparts.”

Ejiofor, in a message on his social media handle, confirmed the development saying that the security operatives were shooting and ransacking his house, searching for him.

“Joint team of the police and army are presently in my house shooting sporadically on sight, to arrest me. As a lawyer, I have committed no offense known to law.
“My life is under serious threat. People are being killed and I don’t know what will happen to me next”, Ejiofor posted at 3:54am.

Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Ikenga Tochukwu, when contacted, told Daily Sun that he was still gathering information on the ugly development and would get back to the reporter as soon as possible.