The Nigerian Bar Association Human Rights Institute (NBA-HRI) has received a distressingly detailed report from Mr. Ernest Onyeka regarding the brutal murder of his elder brother, Princewill Ikenna, in Ikom, Cross River State, and the subsequent, inexplicable collapse of the judicial process.
As a human rights activist with over two decades of standing, I must state unequivocally that the facts presented do not merely constitute a failure of justice; they represent a catastrophic dereliction of judicial duty that threatens the very fabric of Nigeria’s criminal justice system.
I. The Anatomy of Impunity: A Crime Solved, Then Subverted
The facts of this case are damning not because the crime was difficult to solve, but because the diligent efforts of private citizens were systematically undone by the State.
The Crime:
On September 4, 2023, Princewill Ikenna was ambushed, shot three times in the head, and his Lexus 350 GPS vehicle was snatched in Ikom, Cross River State.
Citizen Vigilance:
Within hours of the murder, the family, acting on information obtained from a tracking device, located the stolen vehicle at a panel beater’s workshop in Lagos, where its identity was actively being altered.
The Nexus of Conspiracy:
Police action in Lagos led to the arrest of the panel beater, who implicated one Pastor Peter Uchenna. Initial investigations at Panti, Lagos, compelled Pastor Uchenna to confess to driving the deceased’s vehicle from Ikom to Lagos. He further named the principal actors Pastor Kingsley, Elvis Ntui, and Barry as the perpetrators of the murder.
Judicial Subversion:
Despite having three co-conspirators in custody and recovering crucial evidence including the stolen vehicle and bullets extracted from the victim’s body the case, upon transfer to Ikom Court 2, was derailed. On the purported basis of “health grounds,” the presiding judge ordered the release of a key suspect, Pastor Peter Uchenna. Shockingly, the same suspect was subsequently captured on video preaching in his church in Lagos the following Sunday.
II. The Doctrine of Judicial Complicity
The NBA-HRI must ask: by what legal, ethical, or moral standard does a judicial officer presiding over a murder and carjacking trial release a self-confessed co-conspirator on questionable health grounds, only for the suspect to immediately resume normal public activities?
Judicial Treachery:
This conduct goes beyond the judicial delays the NBA has repeatedly condemned. It constitutes apparent judicial treachery. A discharge on “health grounds” that permits an immediate return to full public life is not mercy it is a betrayal of justice and a mockery of the victim’s family.
Contempt for Due Process:
The subsequent collapse of the trial marked by unexplained adjournments and reports of a six-month judicial leave by the same judge suggests a deliberate and calculated effort to bury the truth and allow the perpetrators to evade justice.
The Dangerous Message Sent:
When individuals who facilitate the disposal of stolen property or aid murder suspects can walk free after being tracked across state lines, the judiciary sends a chilling message that emboldens armed robbers and killers.
III. Urgent Demand for Immediate Intervention
The NBA-HRI stands firmly with the family of Princewill Ikenna and demands immediate and decisive action from the authorities in Cross River State and relevant national oversight bodies. We call on the following officials to move beyond rhetoric and demonstrate that the Nigerian State is not complicit in this gross injustice:
1. National Judicial Council (NJC)
We call for the immediate intervention of the National Judicial Council. The circumstances surrounding the release of Pastor Peter Uchenna, the collapse of the trial, and the conduct of the presiding judge demand an urgent, high-powered forensic investigation into judicial misconduct and abuse of office.
2. Cross River State Government
We demand the direct and swift intervention of the Governor of Cross River State, His Excellency, Professor Bassey Edet Otu. The Governor must ensure that the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of the State, Mr. Ededem Charles Ani, immediately takes over the prosecution of this matter and invokes all constitutional powers to re-arrest and prosecute all named conspirators, including Pastor Peter Uchenna, Pastor Kingsley, Elvis Ntui, and Barry.
3. Chief Judge of Cross River State
The Chief Judge of Cross River State, Hon. Justice Akon Bassey Ikpeme, must account for the failure of the Ikom court to dispense justice in a high-profile murder case. We demand the immediate reassignment of this case to a fearless and independent judicial officer and a comprehensive review of the administrative handling of the matter.
Conclusion: Justice for Princewill Ikenna Is a Test for Nigeria
The Nigerian Bar has consistently maintained that justice and good governance must be practiced, not merely proclaimed. The murder of Princewill Ikenna and the judicial breakdown that followed is not only a tragedy for the Onyeka family; it is a national crisis that exposes the vulnerability of citizens when impunity is cloaked in judicial authority.
Today it is Princewill Ikenna. Tomorrow, it could be any Nigerian.
The NBA-HRI will continue to monitor this case closely until all identified suspects are returned to trial and any judicial officer found culpable in this grave miscarriage of justice is held fully accountable.
The time for justice is now.
Signed:
Sabastine Anyia, Esq.
First Vice President, Nigerian Bar Association
Chairman, NBA Human Rights Institute (NBA-HRI)
December 19, 2025
