Mr. Okey Wali, a former president of the Nigerian Bar Association and senior advocate, has been kidnapped.
He was abducted Saturday night in Rivers state. Wali was the immediate past president of the NBA.
He was abducted, according to a ThisDay report when he visited an elder brother in Rumualogu, Obio/Akpor council area of the state.
“It was learnt that a group of armed men, who had laid ambush for him, double-crossed him and forcefully entered his vehicle, ThisDay said. His car was later abandoned, with the captors taking their captive into a speed boat.
His abduction has prompted the plea by the Ikeja and Lagos branches of the NBA to his abductors to release him immediately and unconditionally.
The two branch chairmen made the appeal while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
The Chairman of NBA, Ikeja Branch, Mr Yinka Farounbi, said Wali’s abduction had brought to the fore the security challenges being faced by Nigerians.
Farounbi said: “We appeal to the kidnappers to release him without delay and without any harm.
“We are urging the government to step up efforts of protecting the lives and property of the people.
“A situation whereby anybody can be kidnapped is worrisome.”
Also speaking, his counterpart in Lagos NBA, Mr Alex Mouka, stressed the need for adequate security.
“The abduction of Wali, the immediate past president of the NBA is shameful. We appeal to the abductors to release him to his family.”
In his reaction, Mr Onyekachi Ubani, a former Chairman of the NBA, Ikeja branch, said Wali had served the country meritoriously as a lawyer and also as the president of the NBA.
Ubani said:” I am appealing to whoever is holding him to release him to his family and to do so unconditionally.
“They should not prolong his agony or that of the family because he does not deserve this kind of ordeal.”