The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has issued an urgent appeal to the Federal Government and security agencies to intensify efforts toward the immediate rescue of a lawyer abducted in Kogi State earlier this week.
The victim, Barrister Emmanuel Ojonugwa, was reportedly kidnapped while traveling along the Okene-Lokoja highway on Thursday, September 25, 2025. Eyewitnesses claim that armed assailants intercepted his vehicle and whisked him away to an unknown location, leaving his family and colleagues in distress.
In a statement released on Saturday by NBA President Yakubu Maikyau, SAN, the association condemned the act and called for swift and coordinated action to secure the lawyer’s release. “The abduction of any Nigerian is unacceptable, but the targeting of legal professionals undermines the rule of law and threatens the foundation of our justice system,” Maikyau said.
The NBA emphasized that lawyers must be able to carry out their duties without fear of violence or intimidation. It also urged the Inspector General of Police, the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), and the National Security Adviser to deploy all necessary resources to locate and rescue Barrister Ojonugwa.
The association further called on the Kogi State Government to collaborate with federal authorities and ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice.