Lawyers and judges in Imo State, Nigeria have fled the Justice Chukwudifu Oputa building of the state high court following fears of an imminent collapse.
Reports indicate that during a court session, the building began vibrating, raising alarms about its structural integrity. The Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Owerri Branch, Chris Ihentuge, confirmed that the issue had been brought to Governor Hope Uzodimma’s attention two weeks ago, with promises that engineers would be sent for an inspection.
“Concerns over structural defects were raised during the building’s construction but were never addressed,” Ihentuge stated. As a precaution, court sessions have been suspended for one week while experts assess the safety of the structure.
“We cannot continue to risk our lives. One week will not kill us,” he declared, while also urging the state government to appoint a Chief Judge, a position that has remained vacant for three months.
In a related development, the Chairman of the Abia State Independent Electoral Commission (ABSIEC), Prof. George Chima, has been abducted at his residence in Okigwe, Imo State. Sources claim that gunmen, suspected to be kidnappers, stormed his home while he was hosting lecturers from Abia State University.
Eyewitnesses report that the kidnappers initially attempted to escape in the victim’s car, but when it failed to start, they hijacked another vehicle carrying logs of wood and fled with Chima.
As of the time of filing this report, the police have yet to confirm the incident.
