Anambra State faces calls for justice in 2002 Igwe assassination

Calls for justice have been renewed regarding the 2002 assassination of Barnabas Igwe, the Chairman of the Onitsha branch of the Nigerian Bar Association, and his pregnant wife, Amaka.

The couple was killed in the Awada district of Onitsha, Anambra State, after being intercepted by armed men while returning from a legal conference. The attack involved machetes and gunfire, and was widely viewed as an attempt to silence Igwe, who was a vocal critic of corruption.

At the time of the murders, the administration of Governor Chinwoke Mbadinuju faced intense scrutiny and accusations from human rights groups and the legal community regarding its potential complicity or failure to protect citizens. Human Rights Watch reported finding “strong, credible evidence” related to the political climate surrounding the incident.