IPOB Lawyer Ifeanyi Ejiofor Condemns Abduction Of Bayelsa High Court Judge, Raises Alarms Over Rising Insecurity

The recent abduction of Hon. Justice E.G. Umokoro of the Bayelsa State High Court has triggered national outrage, drawing sharp condemnation from legal professionals, rights groups, and civil society leaders. The incident, which occurred around 7:30 p.m. on Saturday near Kilimanjaro Eateries in Yenagoa, the state capital, is being described as a dangerous escalation in Nigeria’s worsening security crisis.

Human rights lawyer Ifeanyi Ejiofor, counsel to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), condemned the abduction as “a disgraceful and terrifying new low,” calling it a “blasphemous assault on the judiciary.”

“This is no ordinary crime. It is a direct assault on the judiciary—one of the last fragile pillars holding up our battered republic,” Ejiofor said.

He linked the incident to a disturbing pattern of violence against legal professionals, recalling recent murders of lawyers in Anambra and Benue States. “If judges are no longer safe in Nigeria, who then is?” he asked.

Camouflage Misuse and Public Trust

A particularly troubling aspect of Justice Umokoro’s abduction was the use of military camouflage by the assailants, a tactic that allowed them to deceive bystanders and delay a security response.

“Camouflage is no longer a symbol of protection; it has become the perfect disguise for predators,” Ejiofor warned, calling for an immediate ban on the use of military-style camouflage by police and paramilitary forces in civilian areas.

Eyewitnesses confirmed that the kidnappers, dressed in camouflage, intercepted the judge without resistance and whisked him away in broad daylight, further underscoring Nigeria’s collapsing security landscape.

A Call for Unified Security Action

Ejiofor urged security agencies—including the Police, DSS, NSCDC, and the military—to “collapse silos” and launch a coordinated, urgent effort to rescue Justice Umokoro. He emphasized that anything less than unified, decisive action would embolden further lawlessness.

“Justice is under siege. And when justice is shackled, none of us is free,” he declared.

National Implications

The abduction has reignited concerns over the state’s inability to protect public officials and institutions. Ejiofor warned that the attack represents not just a personal tragedy, but a violent blow to Nigeria’s democratic foundation.

“The judiciary must be protected. Our streets must be reclaimed. Enough is enough.”

Legal associations, civil society organizations, and prominent citizens are now intensifying calls for President Bola Tinubu’s government to treat attacks on the judiciary as acts of national emergency.

As the nation awaits developments in the search for Justice Umokoro, the case has become a symbol of growing impunity and the fragility of the rule of law in Nigeria.