As outrage continues to spread over the abduction of Justice Ebiyerin Umukoro in Bayelsa State, Somina Johnbull, Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Yenagoa branch, has said that security agencies have uncovered leads pointing to the identities and movements of the kidnappers — and their location is no longer a mystery.

Johnbull made this declaration during an interview with ARISE NEWS on Tuesday when he stated, “With regards to what we know for now, and I can say this because we met with all of the security agencies yesterday and we’re still in touch, we know for now that leads as to where these kidnappers came from, where they are, their footprints, that they have been able to trace them. They are no longer a mystery anymore.”

The presiding judge of High Court 7 was kidnapped on Saturday in a daring daylight attack outside a popular eatery along the Ekiki axis of Yenagoa. Witnesses say hooded men dressed in black blocked his vehicle with an unmarked white Hilux, fired a shot that narrowly missed him, and then whisked him away at gunpoint.

The brazen nature of the incident has sent shockwaves through the legal community, prompting an indefinite boycott of courts by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Yenagoa and Sagbama. However, Johnbull explained that efforts are now being focused not just on recovery — but recovery with care.

“What we’re having now from the security is to put in concerted efforts to rescue My Lord alive, and because bringing him out alive is priority, that would take some sort of strategic thinking.”

Johnbull confirmed that the NBA has been in constant communication with law enforcement and is offering all available support to aid the rescue mission. Still, he emphasised that the legal boycott would continue — though not indefinitely.

“The boycott would continue, however, we would think that it shouldn’t last so long, because we want My Lord to come back alive.”

While speculation has grown that the abduction may be linked to Justice Umukoro’s recent rulings — some of which are considered controversial — Johnbull urged restraint in drawing conclusions. For now, he said, the priority is the judge’s safe return.

“At this point, because we are actually focused more on the rescue mission, whilst we take and then we pass across all of the theories and the simulations to the security agencies, we wouldn’t be able to come to any conclusion as to why this was done.

“But yes, we know that My Lord Justice Umukoro is an activist judge. Whether this is a result of his decisions, or it’s a chance encounter being at the wrong place at the wrong time, we can’t really say. We would actually focus on his rescue, and seeing the efforts that have been made by security agencies since Saturday.”

He concluded with optimism, saying, “We are all open and we’re optimistic that Justice Umukoro will be brought back alive in the shortest possible time. Not just in a matter of weeks or days, but it should be in a matter of hours.” (AriseNews TV)