By John Moses
A judge of the Bayelsa State High Court, Justice E.J. Umokoro, was abducted by unidentified gunmen on Saturday evening in Yenagoa, the state capital, police have confirmed.
According to Bayelsa State Police Command spokesperson, Deputy Superintendent Musa Mohammed, the judge was taken at gunpoint from a fast-food outlet in the Ekeki area of the city. The attackers reportedly fired several shots into the air at the car park before forcing Justice Umokoro from his vehicle into a waiting Toyota Hilux.
“The command has deployed tactical teams and surveillance drones to track and apprehend the perpetrators,” DSP Mohammed said in a statement issued on Sunday.
Sources revealed that the judge was in his vehicle waiting for his daughter, who had entered the establishment to make a purchase, when the attack occurred.
Authorities have not disclosed any ransom demands or possible motives as investigations continue.
