Lawyer, client assassinated after court appearance in Anambra

On Thursday, Aguleri community in Anambra State, was thrown into shock after gunmen ambushed and assassinated a lawyer, Mr. Rolex Iloakasia, who also served as the community’s president general.

Iloakasia and his client were attacked by gunmen on motorcycles shortly after winning their case at High Court II in Ekwulobia.

The attack occurred at Egbebelu village in Orumba North Local Government Area of the State as the victims were leaving the court

A source who doesn’t want to be quoted, revealed the importance of the case the lawyer had been handling.

“The case the lawyer was handling for the client was a very big case. The incident happened at a boundary between Nanka and Agulu, along the popular Amawbia-Agulu-Nanka-Ekwulobia-Uga-Akokwa road on Thursday,” the source said.

The source further said that the lawyer was shot first, followed by his client who attempted to escape the scene.

The gunmen quickly fled the area after the attack.

Meanwhile, police have launched an investigation into the killings.

The spokesman for the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident and said investigations were ongoing.

Ikenga stated that the Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, had visited the crime scene with a team of senior officers and detectives. Initial findings indicate that the victims were targeted after their court appearance.

“The CP on Thursday, May 15, 2025, at about 11:30am, led a team of senior officers—including the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations and experienced detectives from the Command—on a visit to the crime scene at Egbebelu village, Nanka, Orumba North Local Government Area, where two persons were gruesomely murdered by yet-to-be-identified armed men operating on a motorcycle,” Ikenga said.

He added: “The visit follows a reported incident involving the murder of two individuals, one of whom has been identified as a legal practitioner who had earlier secured the bail of an accused person in a pending murder case at High Court II, Ekwulobia.

“Preliminary investigations suggest that the victims were attacked while returning from the court session, having been trailed and double-crossed by the assailants.

“One of the victims survived the attack and is currently receiving medical treatment at a hospital. The escapee has been debriefed by the Police and has provided crucial information that is aiding ongoing investigations and manhunt operations.

“The bodies of the deceased have been recovered and positively identified by their respective families. In the course of the preliminary investigations, a red Toyota Camry vehicle, believed to belong to one of the deceased, was recovered from the scene.”

Ikenga also said that tactical and intelligence teams have been deployed to hunt down the culprits.

“Further updates will be provided in due course as the investigation progresses,” he added.

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