Former Nigerian Bar Association President Okey Wali (SAN) has been freed two weeks after being kidnapped.
In the early hours of April 17, 2023, Okey Wali, the 26th President of the NBA, was kidnapped when his convoy was attacked along East-West Road in Rivers State’s Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.
Yakubu Maikyau (SAN), the president of the Nigerian Bar, announced his release in a press release on Monday.
Okey Wali has been reunited with his family and, according to Maikyau, who claimed to have spoken with him, “is in good spirits.”
The NBA President also took use of the occasion to urge the Federal Government to uphold its constitutional duty to safeguard the lives and property of all Nigerians.
“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,” he said.
“This is the second time Mr Wali will be kidnapped. He was first abducted in Port Harcourt, Rivers State by gunmen on Oct 11, 2014, after his tenure as NBA chief. He was released 13 days later on Oct 24, 2014.
Wali, an indigene of Rivers State, was elected the NBA President in 2012 and served in that capacity until July 2014.