YENAGOA, Nigeria — Armed men dressed in black have abducted Justice Ebiyerin Omukoro of the Bayelsa State High Court in a brazen attack in the state capital, further fuelling concerns over rising insecurity in the region.
According to eyewitnesses, the incident occurred around 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 21, 2025, in front of a popular eatery in the Ekeki area along Chief Melford Okilo Expressway.
The assailants, travelling in a white Hilux van, seized the judge in full view of the public before speeding off.
A video of the abduction circulating on social media shows Justice Omukoro being forcefully dragged into the waiting vehicle by the gunmen, who appeared to be operating with military precision.
The motive behind the abduction remains unknown.
The Police Command in Bayelsa on Sunday, June 22, 2025, confirmed the abduction of Justice E.J. Umokoro in Yenagoa, the state capital.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, Musa Mohammed, confirmed the kidnapping of the high court judge.
“Umokoro, a judge at Bayelsa State High Court, was on Saturday evening abducted from his car at a fast food outlet at Ekeki area of Yenagoa.
“The command has deployed tactical teams and drones to trail and arrest the hoodlums,” he said.
The kidnapping comes just days after a similar incident involving men dressed in black, who reportedly stormed the residence of Oyins Egrenbido, a broadcast journalist and business manager with Silverbird Communications.
While details of that case remain limited, the back-to-back incidents have raised alarm among residents and civil society groups in Yenagoa.
Justice Omukoro is one of the senior judicial officers in Bayelsa State and is widely regarded for his commitment to justice and legal reform.