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NBA boycotts court processes over abduction of High Court judge
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The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Yenagoa Branch, on Monday, embarked on a symbolic court boycott across Bayelsa State to protest the abduction of Justice Ebiyerin Omukoro, a serving judge of the Bayelsa State High Court.
The association described the action as a “solemn yet powerful demonstration of solidarity with the abducted jurist” and a clarion call on security agencies to intensify efforts towards securing his safe and immediate release.
Justice Omukoro was kidnapped on Saturday evening, 21st June 2025, by masked gunmen at Kilimanjaro Eatery, located opposite the bustling Ekeki Park in Yenagoa.
He had reportedly just returned from an engagement in Warri, Delta State, when the attackers struck and whisked him away to an unknown destination. His whereabouts remain unknown as of the time of this report.
In a statement signed by the NBA Yenagoa Branch Chairman, Barr. Somina Johnbull, the association condemned the incident as a direct assault on the judiciary and a grave threat to the rule of law.
“This is not merely an attack on Justice Omukoro as an individual. It is an attack on the entire justice system and the independence of the judiciary. We are deeply concerned about the rising trend of insecurity, especially targeted attacks on judicial officers,” the statement read.
Though an earlier plan involved a protest march to security agencies, the association resolved instead to hold a solemn court closure and a press briefing, choosing to keep the spotlight firmly on the judge’s safe return and avoid distractions from the core objective.
On Monday morning, lawyers across the state refrained from appearing in court, while those in Yenagoa converged on the High Court Headquarters, robed in full regulation attire, including collars and bibs, in a unified show of resistance.
According to the association, protest letters were to be formally submitted to the Bayelsa State Commissioner of Police and the State Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), calling for urgent and decisive action in the case.
Johnbull clarified that the boycott was not a punitive measure but a professional duty.
“Our action today is not intended to disrupt the legal process but to defend its sanctity. The judiciary must be protected. Judges must be able to perform their constitutional duties without fear of abduction or harm,” he said.
The NBA further assured that it would continue to monitor the situation closely and take all lawful steps necessary until Justice Omukoro is safely reunited with his family and resumes his judicial functions.
A helicopter crash in Saudi Arabia killed 14 Saudi citizens on Sunday, the kingdom’s official press agency reported, adding that the aircraft belonged to state oil giant Aramco.
The Saudi Press Agency, citing an official at the energy ministry, reported the helicopter crashed in Ras Tanura in the country’s east.
“The accident claimed the lives of all 14 passengers, all Saudi citizens,” the agency said, adding that an investigation was under way to determine the cause of the crash.
Aramco says it operates more than 60 aircraft, including helicopters serving more than 300 heliports in Saudi Arabia, making it one of the largest corporate fleets in the region.
The deadly accident comes as oil-rich Gulf nations seek to ramp up their output following Iranian attacks and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for the export of oil and gas.
The Gulf monarchy did not indicate the incident was in any way connected to a hostile attack.
During the Middle East war, Iranian attacks had targeted energy facilities in the Gulf.
Ras Tanura is home to one of the largest refineries in the Middle East, with a capacity of 550,000 barrels per day, and is critical to Saudi Arabia’s energy sector.
The refinery has been targeted several times, notably during an Iranian drone attack at the beginning of the conflict, which caused a fire and forced a partial shutdown.
Riyadh said in April that the weeks-long attacks had disrupted several production operations at key facilities, with refineries in Ras Tanura as well as Jubail, Yanbu and Riyadh targeted.
Saudi Arabia, the world’s leading crude exporter, produces a little over 10 million bpd.
AFP
An Improvised Explosive Device, IED, planted by alleged bandits along the Kurawa–Sabon Birni road in Sokoto State on Sunday hit a vehicle, killing one person and injuring many passengers.
The incident raised fresh concerns over the growing use of explosive devices by criminal groups operating in parts of the North-West.
The vehicle was said to be conveying passengers from surrounding communities to Sabon Birni when it ran over the explosive device, triggering a blast that severely damaged the vehicle and left several occupants injured.
A security analyst based in the area, Bashir Guyawa, disclosed the incident in a post on his Facebook page.
Guyawa described the incident as another reminder of the persistent security challenges confronting communities along the border axis.
He said the vehicle was on a routine passenger trip when the explosion occurred.
“The vehicle was conveying passengers early this morning on their way to Sabon Birni when the unfortunate incident happened,” he wrote.
Twelve people were injured in a clash between farmers from Larabar Gadan Sarki and herders from the communities of Majawa and Karade in Warawa Local Government Area of Kano State.
The chairman of Warawa Local Government, Lamido Sunusi Ahmad, disclosed this in a statement issued by his media aide, Musleem Garindau.
The statement said the council chairman visited the injured victims at Wudil General Hospital and directed that the local government should cover the cost of their treatment until they had fully recovered.
He also commended community leaders and security personnel for their swift intervention, noting that calm had been restored to the affected communities.
The chairman urged residents to refrain from spreading rumours or engaging in any act capable of escalating tensions and instead embrace dialogue to promote peaceful coexistence.
Speaking further, the Vice Chairman of Warawa Local Government, Hon. Ibrahim Abdu Madari, explained that the conflict involved residents of the communities, all of whom are indigenous to the area.
He said reports indicated that the violence began after a cow strayed into a farmer’s field and ate some crops. The farmer allegedly beat the cow, prompting its owner to assault the farmer, and the disagreement later escalated into a wider clash.
He also reiterated his appeal to residents to live peacefully and resolve disputes through dialogue and mutual understanding.
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