Tension enveloped Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa State, on Saturday evening following the abduction of a High Court judge by unknown gunmen.
Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that the victim, Justice Ebiyerin Omukoro, was forcefully taken away by armed men clad in black clothing.
According to eyewitness accounts, the judge was kidnapped at about 7:00 p.m. in front of a well-known eatery located in the Ekeki area of the city.
The assailants, numbering about four, arrived at the scene in a white Hilux van and executed the operation with alarming precision.
Reports indicate that they waited until the judge stepped out of the restaurant before confronting and dragging him into their vehicle.
A video currently circulating on social media shows the terrifying moment the judge was pushed and bundled into the waiting van by the gunmen.
The motive behind the abduction remains unclear, although concerns are mounting about the growing insecurity across the state.
This incident comes just days after similarly dressed men reportedly stormed the residence of Oyins Egrenbido, a journalist and manager at Silverbird Communications.
Egrenbido’s home was ransacked in what many now suspect could be a coordinated pattern of attacks targeting high-profile individuals in Bayelsa.
As of Sunday morning, the Bayelsa State Police Command had not issued any official statement regarding the judge’s abduction.
Meanwhile, the judiciary and legal community in Bayelsa have expressed shock and concern over the development.
Many have described the act as a dangerous assault on the justice system and called for immediate action.
Lawyers and civil society groups are demanding swift intervention by security agencies to secure the judge’s release and restore public confidence.
Residents in the Ekeki area and its environs are also appealing for increased security patrols to prevent further incidents.
The public anxiously awaits updates from law enforcement authorities as the manhunt continues.
