Justice Chioma Nwosu-Iheme of the Court of Appeal, Benin division, has been kidnapped by gunmen in Benin, Edo State.
The police orderly accompanying her, Inspector A. I. Momoh, was killed by the gunmen before taking her away. The driver of the vehicle was also seriously injured.
It was gathered that the four gunmen, trailed Nwosu’s car from Ramat Park end of the Benin-Agbor Road in their Toyota Voltron and blocked her vehicle around Christ Chosen Church of God International.
A witness who craved anonymity, said that immediately after blocking the judge, the hoodlums shot the tyre of her Toyota SUV, forcing it to a halt.
The source added that the gunmen also opened fire on the police orderly, killing him on the spot, before whisking away the female judge to unknown destination, in their own car.
The State Police Command spokesman, DSP Chidi Nwabuzor, confirmed the incident.
According to him, “The incident occurred today at about 11.30am, along Benin-Agbor express way, by Christ Chosen Church of God International.
“The victim, Justice Chioma Nwosu-Iheme was attacked, while the police orderly attached to her, Inspector A. I. Momoh, was murdered and the driver of the vehicle severely injured and was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.
“Immediately, the police operatives at Ikpoba Hill Divisional Police headquarters, the tactical team of Edo state command and other relevant sections swung into action, but unfortunately, they got away with it.
“Investigation is ongoing and by the grace of God, Justice Chioma Nwosu will be rescued unhurt.”
Chioma Nwosu-Iheme, the judge who handled the Otokoto Hotel ritual killing in Imo state more than 20 years ago, has a Ph.D in law. She is the first female judge in Nigeria to read Law up to Ph.D level in the field of ‘Law of Intellectual Property’.
She is married to Chief Uzoma Nwosu-Iheme, a former Commissioner for Public Utilities and Rural Development, and Commissioner for Education in Imo State.
In August 2005 at the fifty-ninth (59th) session of the United Nations’ General Assembly, she was elected along with 26 other judges to the International Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in Eastern Europe.
The ad-litem judges were elected for a four-year term of office with their curricula vitae published as UN document. Justice Nwosu-Iheme who obtained her Ph.D in law has also been a recurring feature in electoral panels in Nigeria.
In 2010, her first son was kidnapped in Owerri.
