The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) on Tuesday appealed to the abductors of its former president, Okey Wali (SAN) to release him without harm.
Recall that POLITICS NIGERIA reported how gunmen kidnapped Wali and shot dead two of his aides in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The kidnappers wore military camouflage and carried out the act around 3pm on Monday.
It was gathered that the criminals had trailed the SAN and his escorts for a while, but that they launched their attack around Obiri-Ikwerre interchange in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.
A personal aide and driver to the SAN were shot and killed in the incident and while the policemen escorting them sustained injuries.
NBA president, Yakubu Maikyau (SAN) made a plea on Tuesday in a statement made available to this newspaper for Wali to be immediately freed.
“Mr. Okey Wali, SAN was the 26th president of the NBA and has served this nation in varying capacities, contributing immensely to the growth of the legal practice and in the promotion and entrenchment of the rule of law. He is a known philanthropist who has helped in the development of his community in no small measure.
“I, therefore, hereby plead with the abductors not to harm Mr. Wali, SAN, and make a passionate appeal for his release to his family.
“The NBA stands with and assures his family of our full support in this trying period, even as we join in praying for his safe return home.
“This ugly incident is yet another sad reminder of the weakness in our security system and the failure of successive governments to live up to the Constitutional duty of providing for the welfare and security of all Nigerians,” Maikyau’s statement on behalf of the NBA partly reads.
