Imo lawyers, judiciary workers suspend court sittings over alleged abduction of colleague

Lawyers and judiciary workers in Imo suspended court sitting, yesterday, to protest the kidnap of Chima Awurum.

He was kidnapped by gunmen last Friday Mbano/Etiti, Imo.

Secretary of the Imo branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Chinedu Agu, said in a memorandum on Tuesday that there must be strict compliance with the directive to down tools.

Agu said the request to suspend court sitting was approved by the Acting Chief Judge on the state, Ijeoma Oguguo and signed by the Chief Registrar, C.N Okereke.

The memorandum read: "The Office of the Chief Registrar, High Court of Imo State has declared that in solidarity with the Mbano/Etiti Branch of the NBA the High Courts and Magistrates Courts will not sit on Tuesday."

Some litigants were seen at court premises looking frustrated over the sudden development.

A litigant, Mr Kingsley Anyawu, said his case had lingered due to long adjournments and courts boycott. He condemned the kidnap of the lawyer and appealed to security agencies to find a lasting solution to insecurity in the state.