By Chikaodili Nwokoye Exactly 23 years ago today, Nigeria was shaken by the gruesome murder of Barnabas Igwe, then-chairman of t...
By Chikaodili Nwokoye
Exactly 23 years ago today, Nigeria was shaken by the gruesome murder of Barnabas Igwe, then-chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Onitsha branch, and his pregnant wife, Amaka. The assassination, carried out in broad daylight by machete-wielding assailants, remains one of the most chilling symbols of political repression and impunity in Nigeria's democratic era.
The couple was attacked on September 1, 2002, as they returned home from church. Witnesses recalled the horror of the scene as both were hacked to death, with Amaka reportedly pleading for the life of her unborn child. Neither survived.
At the time of his murder, Barnabas Igwe had emerged as a fierce critic of the Anambra State Government under then-Governor Chinwoke Mbadinuju. He was particularly vocal in his condemnation of the state-backed vigilante group, Bakassi Boys, whose brutal methods and extrajudicial executions had gained both fear and notoriety across the state.
In a statement published today on its official Facebook page, Amnesty International Nigeria reignited calls for justice and accountability:
"It is now 23 years since the brutal assassination of lawyer and human rights defender Barnabas and his wife Amaka Igwe. He was president of the Nigerian Bar Association in Anambra State. They were killed in a gruesome manner, by a group of people armed with machetes."
"Barnabas Igwe had publicly opposed state-endorsed vigilante groups in Anambra and openly criticized Governor of the state at that time."
Despite widespread condemnation at home and abroad, no one has been brought to justice for the murder. Legal professionals, human rights defenders, and civil society groups have consistently called for the case to be reopened, but successive administrations have failed to act.
Many believe the assassination was politically motivated — a targeted elimination of a dissenting voice in a period marred by godfatherism, state-sponsored violence, and a culture of silence.
In the years since, the names of Barnabas and Amaka Igwe have come to symbolize the risks faced by those who challenge power, and the high cost of demanding accountability in a fragile democracy.
As the country marks the 23rd anniversary of this unresolved tragedy, Daily Struggle Newspaper joins voices across the legal and human rights community in asking: When will justice be served?
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