Kidnappers launch ex-NBA president Okey Wali after 14 days in captivity

Abductors who captured a former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Okey Wali, have launched him after holding him in captivity for 2 weeks.

Yakubu Maikyau, the incumbent NBA president, introduced this in a press release on Monday.

Mr Maikyau, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), stated the twenty sixth NBA president was launched after precisely 14 days in captivity.

“I personally spoke with him and he’s in good spirits,” Mr Maikyau said.

Mr Maikyau didn’t give particulars of how Mr Wali’s launch was secured.

Though, he thanked Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and the police authorities for his or her “interventions,” Mr Maikyau reiterated “our name on the Federal Authorities to reside as much as its constitutional accountability of defending the lives and properties of all Nigerians in all its ramification.”

The 64-year-old Senior Advocate of Nigeria was kidnapped alongside East-West Highway in Obio/Akpor Native Authorities Space of Rivers State on 17 April.

The NBA stated Mr Wali was kidnapped after his convoy got here beneath the abductors’ assault alongside the street.

The assault, based mostly on the affiliation’s account, overwhelmed the 2 cops within the convoy who escaped with gunshot accidents.

Two of Mr Wali’s private aides died from gunshot wounds they sustained within the assault by the abductors, who then took him away, the NBA stated.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how, a couple of week in the past, Mr Maikyau led a delegation of NBA officers and different senior legal professionals to Mr Wali’s household in Port Harcourt.

He additionally met with the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State through the go to to Port Harcourt.

He didn’t disclose the main points of the assembly that was held behind closed doorways, or efforts to safe Mr Wali’s launch.

“Each life is efficacious and have to be handled with honour and dignity,” Mr Maikyau stated on Tuesday.

“There have to be a deliberate and applicable funding within the enchancment of the welfare of all safety companies notably the Police, and adequately equipping them to perform successfully and effectively.”

It was Mr Wali’s second abduction in lower than a decade.

In October 2014, some months after finishing his tenure because the NBA president, Mr Wali was kidnapped close to Port Harcourt and was held for days in captivity earlier than he was launched.

Mr Wali served because the NBA’s twenty sixth president between 2012 and 2014. There are 4 former presidents of the affiliation in-between him and the incumbent, Mr Maikyau, who took over final 12 months because the thirty first.

Learn NBA President’s assertion in full

1 Might 2023

STATEMENT OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION, MR YAKUBU CHONOKO MAIKYAU, OON, SAN, ON THE ABDUCTION OF MR. OKEY WALI, SAN

Replace II

Distinguished Colleagues,

To the glory of God Almighty, I’m happy to announce the discharge and return of Mr Okey Wali, SAN to his household. I personally spoke with him and he’s in good spirits. The twenty sixth President of the NBA was kidnapped and held for 14 days following a violent assault on his convoy alongside EastWest Highway, in Obio Akpor Native Authorities Space of Rivers State on 17 April 2023. On behalf of the members of the Nigerian Authorized Occupation I thank all well-wishers who stood by the Bar and the household of Mr. Okey Wali, SAN, in ideas, prayers and deeds, all through this horrific ordeal.

I respect the interventions of the Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency, Nyesom Wike; the Inspector Normal of Police; the Director Normal of the Division of State Companies; the Commissioner of Police and the State Director of Service, Rivers State; along with all their officers and males, who labored tirelessly because the ugly incident passed off.

I’m grateful to all members of each the Bench and Bar, for the show of camaraderie throughout this era of trial. The help, prayers and goodwill have enormously helped the efforts deployed in the direction of the secure launch of our brother and chief. The management and members of the Bar in Rivers State have been exceptionally fantastic. We thank God Almighty for answering our prayers and granting us the secure return of Mr Okey Wali, SAN.

We reiterate our name on the Federal Authorities to reside as much as its constitutional accountability of defending the lives and properties of all Nigerians in all its ramification.

Each life is efficacious and have to be handled with honour and dignity. There have to be a deliberate and applicable funding within the enchancment of the welfare of all safety companies notably the Police, and adequately equipping them to perform successfully and effectively. In any other case, it will likely be hypocritical, if not fraudulent, to anticipate any significant consequence from the Nigerian Police in its constitutional obligation of defending the lives and properties of Nigerians.

One can solely give from the abundance of what he/she has. As our previous President recovers from the expertise of this ordeal, I pray that God will consolation the households of those that had been killed within the incident and grant them everlasting relaxation. I additionally pray for the qui restoration of the cops who suffered weapons ot accidents from the incident. I thanks all.

Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau, OON, SAN PRESIDENT