Unknown Gunmen Abduct Serving High Court Judge

By Arthur Maduka

Justice E.G. Umukoro, a serving judge of High Court 7 in Bayelsa State, was abducted by unknown gunmen on the evening of Saturday, June 21, in Yenagoa, the state capital. The incident occurred around 7:00 p.m. in front of a well-known eatery in the Ekeki area along Chief Melford Okilo Expressway.

Eyewitnesses reported that the attackers, dressed in black uniforms and wearing hoods, initially fired shots at the judge but missed. They then blocked his vehicle—a black Toyota Prado SUV—with a white, unmarked Hilux van. A video shared online captured the moment the judge was forcibly taken into the Hilux as he struggled to resist.

Despite the violent nature of the abduction, the gunmen left behind the judge’s SUV at the scene. As of the time of reporting, the Bayelsa State Police Command has not released an official statement regarding the incident.