…calls for urgent regulation of camouflage uniforms.
The iNews Times reports that a disturbing incident has shaken the Nigerian judiciary as Hon. Justice E.G. Umokoro of the Bayelsa State High Court, Yenagoa, was abducted by criminals on camouflage at gunpoint on Saturday.
According to reports, the judge was whisked away in front of Kilimanjaro Eateries, along the Ekeki axis of the state capital, by armed men dressed in camouflage uniforms.
Reacting to this development, Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor, said the abduction is a direct assault on the judiciary and a symbol of the rule of law. “Our collective descent into lawlessness has reached a disgraceful and terrifying new low,” he said.
“A sitting High Court Judge – a custodian of justice and a symbol of the rule of law – was brazenly snatched from the street like a petty target by gun-wielding criminals dressed in camouflage.”
Ejiofor condemned the use of camouflage uniforms by the abductors, saying the camouflage has become a cover for terror.
“The very uniform meant to represent authority and security has now become a cover for terror,” he said. “This is no ordinary crime. It is a direct, blasphemous assault on the judiciary – one of the last fragile pillars still holding up our battered republic.”
The lawyer called for urgent regulation of uniforms, saying they have been hijacked by criminals.
“Camouflage is no longer a symbol of protection – it has become the perfect disguise for predators,” Ejiofor said.
“Police officers deployed to civilian spaces must be barred from wearing camouflage.”
He urged security agencies to act with unified urgency and uncompromising resolve to secure the immediate and unconditional release of Hon. Justice Umokoro.
“I call on all security agencies – the Police, DSS, Military, NSCDC – to break protocol, collapse silos, and act with unified urgency and uncompromising resolve to secure the immediate and unconditional release of Hon. Justice Umokoro,” he said.
Adding that “Anything less emboldens the enemies of our nation and confirms the collapse of public order.”
The abduction of Hon. Justice Umokoro has sparked widespread outrage, with many calling for immediate action to protect the judiciary and restore public order.
As Ejiofor noted, “Enough is enough. The judiciary must be protected. Our streets must be reclaimed. Camouflage must no longer be a mask for mayhem. Justice is under siege. And when justice is shackled, none of us is free.” Ejiofor concluded.
