Former NBA President, regains freedom after13 days in captivity

Thirteen days after he was abducted in Port
Harcourt by unknown gunmen, the immediate
past National President of the Nigerian Bar
Association, NBA, Chief Okey Wali, SAN, on
Thursday night, regained his freedom.
The State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP
Ahmad Muhammad said he was released
Thursday night.
It would be recalled that the former NBA
president was taken hostage 14 days ago in
his Rumualogu area of Obio Akpor Local
Government area, Rivers State. He was on his
way to see his brother when he was allegedly
abducted.
Okey Wali
In a statement he issued in Abuja yesterday,
his successor in office, Mr. Augustine Alegeh,
SAN, disclosed that Wali was released from
captivity around 11pm.
“I have personally spoken to him and can
confirm that he is hale, hearty and in good
spirit”, Alegeh stated.
He said that Wali expressed his thanks and
appreciation to members of the Bar and
Bench, the security agencies, friends and
family for their concern, support and prayers
during the period of his ordeal, even as he
thanked God for his safe release.
The NBA President commended members of
the legal body “for keeping calm throughout
this period and not taking any steps that may
have directly or indirectly jeopardised the
efforts for his safe release which have now
yielded positive results”.
Though Alegeh failed to disclose how much
the kidnappers collected as ransom to free the
abducted ex-President of the association, he
however thanked security agencies for the
efforts they made towards Wali’s release.
“The Nigerian Bar also wishes to place on
record its appreciation of the efforts of the
security agencies in securing the safe release
of Okey Wali, SAN. The Director General of the
State Security Services [SSS], the Inspector
General of Police and the SSS State Directors
and Police Commissioners in Rivers, Bayelsa,
Delta and Edo states who worked tirelessly to
secure his safe release deserve special
mention.
“While we celebrate the safe release of Okey
Wali we must hasten to reiterate the fact that
the spate of kidnappings and general state of
insecurity in Our Country is cause for great
concern.