Justice Ebiyerin Omukoro of the Bayelsa State High Court, who was abducted by masked gunmen on Saturday, June 21, 2025, has regained his freedom.
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The Department of State Services (DSS) in Bayelsa State confirmed the judge’s release on Thursday, though it remained tight-lipped on the circumstances surrounding his freedom or whether he is currently in their custody.
As at press time, the Bayelsa State Commissioner for Information, Orientation, and Strategy, Hon. Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai, was reportedly en route to the DSS office in Yenagoa, where she is expected to brief the public on developments regarding the case.
Justice Omukoro’s abduction sparked widespread outrage across the state and the legal community. He was kidnapped around 7:00 p.m. in front of a popular eatery in the Ekeki area along Chief Melford Okilo Expressway in Yenagoa by armed men dressed in black, who arrived in a white Hilux van. A viral video circulated shortly after the incident showed the judge being forcibly dragged into the vehicle by the assailants.
In response, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Yenagoa Branch, declared an indefinite boycott of court activities across Yenagoa and Sagbama judicial divisions. On June 23, members of the Bar staged a robed protest march, demanding swift intervention and the immediate release of the abducted jurist.
Protest letters were submitted to the Commissioner of Police and the State Director of DSS. NBA Chairman Somina Johnbull had consistently stressed that the association was working closely with law enforcement agencies to ensure the judge’s safe return.
Johnbull described the incident as a “direct attack on the judiciary and a grave threat to the rule of law,” warning that the legal profession would not tolerate acts of violence targeting judicial officers.
Justice Omukoro was said to have returned from an engagement in Warri, Delta State, shortly before the abduction took place.
Further details about his release and the status of the investigation are expected to be made public in the coming hours.
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