Justice Omukoro was kidnapped by masked gunmen on the evening of Saturday, June 21, 2025, at an eatery, located opposite the bustling Ekeki Park in Yenagoa.
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Yenagoa Branch, has strongly condemned the abduction of Hon. Justice Ebiyerin Omukoro, a serving judge of the High Court of Bayelsa State, describing the incident as a direct assault on the judiciary and the rule of law.
Justice Omukoro was kidnapped by masked gunmen on the evening of Saturday, June 21, 2025, at an eatery, located opposite the bustling Ekeki Park in Yenagoa.
He was said to have just returned from an engagement in Warri, Delta State, before the attack occurred.
In a statement released by the NBA Yenagoa Branch Chairman, Barr. Somina Johnbull, the association expressed deep concern over the growing insecurity targeting judicial officers, warning that such acts threaten the independence of the judiciary.
As a mark of protest, the NBA has declared a total boycott of all courts across Bayelsa State on Monday, June 23, 2025.
The action will be accompanied by a symbolic protest march by lawyers dressed in full courtroom attire, including collars and bibs.
Legal practitioners are expected to gather at the High Court Headquarters in Yenagoa by 9:00 a.m. for the demonstration.
Protest letters demanding swift and effective intervention will be delivered to the Bayelsa State Commissioner of Police and the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS).
The NBA stated that the protest aims to defend the sanctity of the judiciary and ensure that judges and other legal officers can carry out their constitutional duties without fear or intimidation.
Meanwhile, the whereabouts of Justice Omukoro remain unknown, and no group has claimed responsibility for the abduction.