The Akwa Ibom State chapter of the Nigerian Bar Association, on Wednesday, shut courts to protest the kidnap of an Oron high court judge, Justice Joy Unwana, and the killing of her orderly.
The PUNCH reports that Justice Unwana and her driver, Idorinyin Ekanem, were kidnapped on Monday along the Okobo-Esuk Inwang-Ndon Ebom Road at about 8 pm.
They were returning to Uyo after a long and last family court session for the year when the gunmen waylaid them. The police orderly attached to the judge, Inspector ThankGod Edet, was killed in the attack.
Members of the Oron NBA branch, led by their chairman, Torosco Eyene, took to the streets on Wednesday with placards in hand, demanding the release of the judge.
The placards had inscriptions such as: ‘Security agencies have compromised, we demand a tight and diligent security’, “Police, Navy, Customs etc, Akwa Ibom government should fix Oron-Nsit Attai road to prevent future occurrence’: “Oron NBA condemns the kidnapping of Hon Justice Joy Unwana.”
Speaking for the lawyers, the NBA chairman described the kidnap of the judge and the killing of the police orderly as wicked.
He called on the state governor, Umo Eno, and the law enforcement agency to ensure the timely release of the judge.
Eyene said, “The branch condemned, in the strongest terms, the criminal, wicked and evil act of kidnap of Hon Justice I. Unwana on Monday, 18th December 2023 on her way to Uyo after a long and last family court session for the year, wherein she made far-reaching orders in favour of numerous abandoned children as the nation moves towards the forthcoming Christmas and New Year celebrations.
“The branch condemned the bestial assassination of Justice Unwana’s orderly Inspector ThankGod Edet, who was murdered in the line of duty and consoled with the deceased ‘s family and the Nigeria Police Force.
“The branch called on the executive governor of Akwa Ibom State State, Pastor Umo Eno, to call on law enforcement agencies and indeed all the good loving people citizens of Akwa Ibom State to employ all legal means to ensure the timely release of Hon Justice Joy Unwana and her driver Mr Idorinyin Ekanem.”
The NBA chairman decried the state of the roads in the state, calling on the government to fix them.
Also speaking, the pioneer chairman of the Oron NBA branch, Emmanuel Ukoh, called on the state government to investigate the circumstances leading to the kidnap of the judge
“Since the incident of the abduction, none of us has had rest; we don’t have the apparatus to investigate, so we call on the government to investigate and ensure the road is fixed within the shortest possible time. We pray that whoever is holding her captive will release her and make her join her family,” he said.
