Kidnapped Bayelsa Judge Regains Freedom After 12 Days in Captivity

Justice Ebiyerin Omukoro, a serving judge of the Bayelsa State High Court, has regained his freedom 12 days after being abducted by masked gunmen in the state capital.

Justice Omukoro was kidnapped on the evening of Saturday, June 21, 2025, at Kilimanjaro Eatery, opposite Ekeki Park, shortly after returning from a trip to Warri, Delta State. The abduction took place in a public area close to a police station, with some eyewitnesses initially mistaking the incident for a legitimate security operation.

His release was confirmed on Thursday, though official statements from law enforcement authorities and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) are still pending at the time of reporting.

Speaking after his release, Justice Omukoro described the ordeal as “harrowing'' and emotionally draining.

"I was beginning to give up. I felt like this nightmare was refusing to come to an end. I still couldn’t come to terms with the fact that I had been abducted, kidnapped, kept in the jungle by hoodlums masquerading as security men. But we thank God… God was always there for me,” he said.

He expressed gratitude to security agencies, members of the judiciary, and his loved ones, praising the “synergy between the government, the Bar, and the Bench” as key to his safe return.

During the period of Justice Omukoro’s captivity, the NBA Yenagoa Branch declared a statewide court boycott, describing the abduction as “an attack on the judiciary”. The association raised alarm over the deteriorating security of judicial officers and urged immediate government intervention.

The NBA had also disclosed that security operatives were making "significant progress" in tracking the kidnappers through digital footprints, although no direct communication was ever made by the abductors.

Justice Omukoro’s abduction occurred in broad daylight in a public location a fact that has further intensified scrutiny on Bayelsa’s security architecture. Legal practitioners and civil society groups are now calling for improved security protocols for judicial officers and a thorough investigation to ensure accountability.

As the state breathes a collective sigh of relief, pressure mounts on authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice and restore confidence in the safety of public servants.