The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has urged the federal government and security services to act quickly to obtain the release of one of its members, Onyesom Peace Udoka, who was kidnapped alongside her sister and others along the Lokoja-Okene route in Kogi State.
Udoka, who was recently called to the Bar, was kidnapped while returning from the event in Abuja.
In a statement released on Sunday, NBA President Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, decried the incident as “unacceptable and utterly condemnable,” emphasizing that no family should be forced to go through such anguish.
“It is heartbreaking that at a time when our nation should be celebrating the future of the legal profession, young lawyers and their families are subjected to such harrowing ordeals,” Osigwe said.
The association called on the government to ensure the immediate and safe release of Udoka, her sister, and other victims still in captivity. It also demanded a more coordinated effort to address the growing insecurity on Nigeria’s highways.
“The safety and security of Nigerians cannot continue to be treated with levity. It is the primary duty of government to protect the lives of its citizens, and this duty must be discharged with the seriousness it deserves,” the association stressed.
The NBA expressed empathy with the families of the abducted victims, saying it remained hopeful for their safe return and reaffirmed its commitment to supporting measures that will improve Nigerians’ security.
