The former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President Okey Wali has regained freedom after spending two weeks in custody of kidnappers, who seized him along East-West Road in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State on 17 April, 2023.
Penpushing reports that the association incumbent President, Yakubu Maikyau, made this known in a statement on Monday, adding that he had personally spoke with him and in good health, but did not give details of the release
The President of the body of lawyers who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), had led a delegation of Nigerian Bar Association(NBA) officials and other senior lawyers to Wali’s family in Port Harcourt and also met with the Commissioner of Police in State during the visit
“I personally spoke with him and he is in good spirits. Every life is valuable and must be treated with honour and dignity, There must be a deliberate and appropriate investment in the improvement of the welfare of all security agencies particularly the Police, and adequately equipping them to function effectively and efficiently’, Maikyau said
Penpushing further reports that he thanked Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and the police authorities for their interventions, and call on the Nigerian Government to live up to its constitutional responsibility of protecting the lives and properties of all Nigerians in all its ramification.
‘To the glory of God Almighty, I am pleased to announce the release and return of Mr Okey Wali, SAN to his family. I personally spoke with him and he is in good spirits. The 26th President of the NBA was kidnapped and held for 14 days following a violent attack on his convoy along EastWest Road, in Obio Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State on 17 April 2023’, Maikyau stated.
‘On behalf of the members of the Nigerian Legal Profession I thank all well-wishers who stood by the Bar and the family of Mr. Okey Wali, SAN, in thoughts, prayers and deeds, throughout this horrific ordeal’, he said.
‘I appreciate the interventions of the Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency, Nyesom Wike; the Inspector General of Police; the Director General of the Department of State Services; the Commissioner of Police and the State Director of Service, Rivers State; together with all their officers and men, who worked tirelessly since the ugly incident took place’.
‘I am grateful to all members of both the Bench and Bar, for the display of camaraderie during this period of trial. The support, prayers and goodwill have greatly helped the efforts deployed towards the safe release of our brother and leader’.
‘The leadership and members of the Bar in Rivers State have been exceptionally wonderful. We thank God Almighty for answering our prayers and granting us the safe return of Mr Okey Wali, SAN. We reiterate 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’.
‘Every life is valuable and must be treated with honour and dignity. There must be a deliberate and appropriate investment in the improvement of the welfare of all security agencies particularly the Police, and adequately equipping them to function effectively and efficiently’.
‘Otherwise, it will be hypocritical, if not fraudulent, to expect any meaningful result from the Nigerian Police in its constitutional duty of protecting the lives and properties of Nigerians’, the president emphasised.
‘One can only give from the abundance of what he/she has. As our past President recovers from the experience of this ordeal, I pray that God will comfort the families of those who were killed in the incident and grant them eternal rest. I also pray for the qui recovery of the police officers who suffered guns ot injuries from the incident. I thank you all’, the statement reads.
Penpushing reports that it is recalled that before the recent kidnapped of the 64-year-old Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), he was earlier in October 2014 abducted near Port Harcourt and was held for days in captivity before he was released.
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