Unknown assailants shoot dead Anambra lawyer and his client in an abush while returning from court

Friday, May 16, 2025 - Gunmen suspected to be assassins on Wednesday killed an Anambra-based lawyer, Barr Ifeanyi Iloakasi, and his client while returning from court.

Iloakasi, who is also a community leader and President General of the Aguleri community in Anambra East Local Government Area, was said to have been ambushed at the Nanka/Agulu boundary in Orumba North Local Government Area, where he was shot dead along with his client.

The attack, many believe, may be a targeted assassination. His client, who jumped down from the red Toyota Camry driven by the lawyer and took to his heels, was chased and also shot dead.

Meanwhile, police in Anambra State have confirmed the attack but stated that another victim survived the incident and has also been debriefed. The State Police Commissioner, CP Ikioye Orutugu, has also visited the scene of the event.

Spokesperson of the command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, in a press release said: “The Commissioner of Police, Anambra State Command, CP Ikioye Orutugu, on Thursday, at about 11:30 a.m., led a team of senior officers 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.

“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.”

It was gathered that the lawyer, while working for his client, had secured the release of an accused person in a pending murder case at High Court II, Ekwulobia, a feat that may have angered the opponents.

Ikenga said: “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.

“The Commissioner of Police has ordered an intensive investigation into the incident and deployed tactical and intelligence teams to track down the perpetrators and ensure justice is served.”