Abductors who captured a former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Okey Wali, have released him after holding him in captivity for two weeks.
Yakubu Maikyau, the incumbent NBA president, announced this in a statement on Monday.
Mr Maikyau, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), said the 26th NBA president was released after exactly 14 days in captivity.
“I personally spoke with him and he is in good spirits,” Mr Maikyau stated.
Mr Maikyau did not give details of how Mr Wali’s release was secured.
Although, he thanked Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and the police authorities for their “interventions,” Mr Maikyau reiterated “our call on the Federal Government to live up to its constitutional responsibility of protecting the lives and properties of all Nigerians in all its ramification.”
The 64-year-old Senior Advocate of Nigeria was kidnapped along East-West Road in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State on 17 April.
The NBA said Mr Wali was abducted after his convoy came under the abductors’ attack along the road.
The attack, based on the association’s account, overwhelmed the two police officers in the convoy who escaped with gunshot injuries.
Two of Mr Wali’s personal aides died from gunshot wounds they sustained in the attack by the kidnappers, who then took him away, the NBA said.
PREMIUM TIMES reported how, about a week ago, Mr Maikyau led a delegation of NBA officials and other senior lawyers to Mr Wali’s family in Port Harcourt.
He also met with the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State during the visit to Port Harcourt. He did not disclose the details of the meeting that was held behind closed doors, or efforts to secure Mr Wali’s release.
“Every life is valuable and must be treated with honour and dignity,” Mr Maikyau said on Tuesday.
It was Mr Wali’s second abduction in less than a decade.
In October 2014, some months after completing his tenure as the NBA president, Mr Wali was abducted near Port Harcourt and was held for days in captivity before he was released.
Credit: premiumtimesng.com
