Justice E.G. Umukoro, a serving judge of High Court 7 in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, was abducted by gunmen on Saturday evening in a brazen attack that has sent shockwaves through the state’s legal community.
The incident occurred around 7:30 p.m. near a popular eatery in the Ekeki area of Yenagoa. Eyewitnesses said the assailants, dressed in black uniforms, attempted to shoot the judge but missed. They then blocked his vehicle using an unmarked white Hilux van and forcibly took him away at gunpoint. Justice Umukoro's black Toyota Prado SUV was left behind at the scene.
A video circulating on social media shows the judge struggling with his abductors before being overpowered and whisked away.
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer in Bayelsa State, DSP Musa Muhammad, stated that the command has launched a manhunt for the perpetrators.
“The command has deployed tactical teams and drones to trail and arrest the hoodlums,” he said.
Justice Umukoro, a prominent figure in the Bayelsa judiciary, was reportedly returning from a private engagement when he was ambushed. A former chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Yenagoa branch, the judge is known for handling several high-profile cases in the state.
In 2021, he sentenced a man to 10 years imprisonment for the rape and murder of a five-year-old girl in Akede community, Sagbama Local Government Area. He has also presided over major election petition matters in Bayelsa.
The motive behind the abduction remains unclear, and security agencies are continuing their efforts to secure his release.
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