NBA Calls for Urgent Rescue of Abducted Member Kidnapped After Call to Bar Ceremony

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has called on the federal government and security agencies to take immediate action to rescue one of its members, Onyesom Peace Udoka, who was abducted along with her sister and others on the Lokoja–Okene highway in Kogi State.

Udoka, a newly qualified lawyer, was kidnapped while returning from the recent Call to Bar ceremony in Abuja.

In a statement released on Sunday, NBA President Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, condemned the abduction, describing it as “unacceptable and utterly condemnable.” He emphasized that no family should be subjected to such trauma, especially at a moment meant to celebrate the future of the legal profession.

“It is heartbreaking that at a time when our nation should be celebrating young lawyers, they and their families are being thrown into such harrowing experiences,” Osigwe stated.

The NBA urged authorities to prioritize the safe and immediate release of Udoka, her sister, and the other victims. It also called for stronger, more coordinated measures to address the rising insecurity on Nigeria’s highways.

“The safety of Nigerians must not be treated with levity. Protecting lives is the government’s primary responsibility and must be carried out with the seriousness it deserves,” the association said.

The NBA expressed solidarity with the victims’ families and reaffirmed its commitment to advocating for improved national security and the protection of all citizens.