As public outrage intensifies over the abduction of Justice Ebiyerin Umukoro in Bayelsa State, security agencies have made significant progress in tracking the kidnappers, according to the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Yenagoa branch.
Speaking during an interview with ARISE NEWS on Tuesday, NBA Yenagoa Chairman, Somina Johnbull, revealed that investigators have uncovered leads identifying the suspects and their movements. “We met with all of the security agencies yesterday and we’re still in touch. We now know where these kidnappers came from, where they are. Their footprints have been traced — they are no longer a mystery,” he stated.
Justice Umukoro, the presiding judge of High Court 7, was kidnapped on Saturday in broad daylight outside a popular eatery along the Ekeki axis of Yenagoa. Eyewitnesses reported that hooded men in black clothing intercepted his vehicle using an unmarked white Hilux van, fired a shot, and abducted him at gunpoint.
The audacious attack has rattled the legal community, prompting the NBA branches in Yenagoa and Sagbama to declare an indefinite boycott of court proceedings in protest.
Johnbull, however, stressed that current efforts are focused on securing the judge’s safe return. “What we’re hearing now from the security agencies is that they are making concerted efforts to rescue My Lord alive. That’s the priority, and it requires strategic planning,” he said.
He affirmed that the NBA is actively supporting law enforcement and maintaining close communication to aid the rescue operation. While the boycott remains in place, Johnbull hinted it may not last much longer. “We would think that it shouldn’t last so long, because we want My Lord to come back alive,” he noted.
There has been growing speculation that the abduction could be linked to Justice Umukoro’s recent rulings, some of which have been described as controversial. However, Johnbull cautioned against premature conclusions. “We are focused more on the rescue mission. We’ve passed all theories and simulations to the security agencies, but we can’t say definitively why this happened,” he said.
He acknowledged that Justice Umukoro is known as an activist judge, but stressed that whether the attack was targeted or coincidental remains unclear.
Expressing hope and confidence in the rescue efforts, Johnbull concluded, “We are open and optimistic that Justice Umukoro will be brought back alive — not just in a matter of days or weeks, but in a matter of hours.”
