The Yenagoa Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) held a symbolic court boycott throughout Bayelsa State on Monday to protest the disappearance of Justice Ebiyerin Omukoro, a high court judge currently serving in the state.
The association called on security forces to make more efforts to secure his safe and immediate release and described the action as a “solemn yet powerful demonstration of solidarity with the abducted jurist.”
At Kilimanjaro Eatery, which is located opposite the bustling Ekeki Park in Yenagoa, on Saturday evening, June 21, 2025, masked gunmen kidnapped Justice Omukoro.
When the attackers struck and whisked him away to an unknown location, he reportedly had just left an engagement in Warri, Delta State. His whereabouts are unknown as of the time of writing this report.
In a statement signed by Barr, the chairman of the NBA Yenagoa Branch. The association’s Somina Johnbull described the incident as a direct assault on the judiciary and a serious threat to the rule of law.
“This is not just an attack on Justice Omukoro as a person,” he continued. It attacks both the judiciary’s independence and the entire justice system. We are “deeply concerned” about the rising tide of insecurity, particularly judicial officer targeted attacks, the statement read.
Read more about the NBA’s investigation into the Bayelsa High Court judge’s kidnapping.
The association chose to hold a solemn court closure and press briefing instead of a protest march to security agencies, keeping the focus on the judge’s safe return and avoiding side effects.
In a coordinated show of unity, lawyers from across the state gathered at the High Court Headquarters on Monday morning, refusing to appear in court. Yenagoa residents gathered there in full regulation attire, including bibs and collars, in a unified show of opposition.
The Bayelsa State Commissioner of Police and the State Director of the Department of State Services (DSS) were formally informed of the association’s request for immediate and decisive action in the case.
Johnbull made it clear that the boycott was a professional duty rather than a punitive measure.
Our actions today are intended to defend the sanctity of the legal system rather than disrupt it. The judiciary must be safeguarded. Judges must be able to carry out their constitutional duties without fear of being abducted or hurt, he added.
Source: Channels TV
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