A Nigerian lawyer, John Aikpokpo-Martins, has called for the immediate prosecution of one Inspector Onoja, a police officer who allegedly shot and killed a fellow lawyer, Peter Ihimiekpen, Esq., in Owerri, Imo State, on January 12, 2026.
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In a statement issued on Monday, Aikpokpo-Martins expressed profound sorrow and outrage over what he described as the brutal and senseless murder of Ihimiekpen, who was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2021.
According to the statement, the tragic incident occurred at No. 6A Resort, Redemption Estate, Obinze, Owerri, Imo State, following a minor disagreement between Ihimiekpen and Inspector Onoja at the lawyer’s office.
“Reports confirm that Inspector Onoja, without provocation or justification, drew his firearm and shot our colleague at close range; an act that can only be described as cold-blooded, unlawful, and utterly inhumane,” Aikpokpo-Martins stated.
Ihimiekpen was pronounced dead on the scene, and his body has since been deposited at a mortuary in Owerri.
The lawyer confirmed that the police have arrested and detained Inspector Onoja, commending the swift initial action taken by the authorities.
“But that is not enough,” he said.
Aikpokpo-Martins lamented the killing, describing the deceased as a brother, colleague, son, and future leader cut down in his prime over a petty disagreement.
“I am appalled that in 2026, a time when Nigeria is striving to be a nation governed by the rule of law, a lawyer can be murdered so carelessly by a police officer and yet there is no public outcry, no media frenzy, no official statement and no visible action from the Nigeria Police,” he said.
“Where is everybody?”
The lawyer made the following demands:
- An immediate and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the killing, to be completed within a reasonable time.
- The prosecution of Inspector Onoja under the full weight of the law.
- The payment of full compensation to the family of the deceased.
- Public accountability from the Imo State Police Command and the Nigeria Police Force, not just a mere “case under investigation” statement.
Aikpokpo-Martins passionately appealed to the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, to personally intervene in the matter to ensure that justice is done.
“Let this be the moment we say ‘enough is enough’ to police brutality against citizens and particularly against legal professionals,” he stated.
“Let us not forget that when lawyers are unsafe, no one is safe.”
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