Worried that their son, Okey Wali, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, who was kidnapped eleven days ago in Port Harcourt is yet to be released, the people of Rumualogu community have challenged the Nigeria Police and the state governor, Nyesom Wike to move and secure the release of the former president of the NBA.
It is the second time that Wali would be kidnapped by unknown gunmen. The police authorities claim that while they have located where Wali was being kept, they were being diplomatic in order to be able to get him out unhurt.
Although Wali is a known ally of the governor, there is no clear indication of serious efforts that have been made towards the lawyer’s freedom.
On Friday, Wali’s kinsmen protested the continued detention of their son and said they had waited long enough to see the return of the man that used to help them in times of need.
The protesters hit the streets with placards urging the governor and the police to ensure that the lawyer was released without further delay.
Apart from the villagers, some lawyers in the state are also not happy with the development. They reacted angrily on the social media when their leaders called them out for a fitness walk instead of working to secure Wali’s release.
In a post on the NBA PH Patriots page, they said “it’s sad that our Branch will be calling for a fitness walk, when our revered leader and former president Okey Wali SAN is still in the kidnappers den with his whereabout still unknown. The cold feet of NBA Port Harcourt branch and its sister branches over the kidnap of our enviable leader is shocking.
“The various NBA branches in Rivers State should call for a peaceful protest to the office of the commissioner of police Rivers State Command and the DSS headquarters in Port Harcourt calling for the release of our leader on a daily basis. The chairmen of the NBA branches in Port Harcourt should issue a communique urging lawyers to boycott court proceedings over the continuous unknown whereabouts of our former president.
“If NBA is this silent over the kidnap of an enviable leader in the person of Okey Wali SAN what will be our fate tomorrow if a junior lawyer is being kidnapped?
There must be an end in this sudden silence of NBA branches in Rivers State. Statements alone shouldn’t be release, actions must be taken.”
