Gunmen on Thursday afternoon killed a customary court judge, Nnaemeka Ugboma, in Imo State.
Until his death, Nnaemeka Ugboma presided over an Imo magistrate court in Ejemekwurun, Oguta Local Government Area of the state.
Our correspondent gathered that the killer who came on motorcycles, invaded the court room, dragged the magistrate out and shot him dead.
While escaping, the gunmen shot sporadically into the air to scare litigants and their counsels.
The slain magistrate was a native of Nnebukwu community in the same Local council.
The motive behind the killing was not immediately known, but our correspondent gathered residents fled their homes during the attack.
A colleague of the victim, Emperor Iwuala, in a brief statement confirmed the killing.
He said, “My learned brother His Worship Nnaemeka Ugboma Chairman (Judge) Customary Court Ejemekwuru Oguta LGA Imo State shot dead yesterday in court by yet-to-be-identified persons. We are indeed in a perilous time.”
The chairman of the Owerri Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association, Ugochukwu Allinor, also confirmed the killing.
However, a spokesperson for the Police in the state, Henry Okoye, is yet to speak on the tragic incident.