Former NBA President, regains freedom after13 days in captivity

Thirteen days after he was abducted in Port<br/>Harcourt by unknown gunmen, the immediate<br/>past National President of the Nigerian Bar<br/>Association, NBA, Chief Okey Wali, SAN, on<br/>Thursday night, regained his freedom.<br/>The State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP<br/>Ahmad Muhammad said he was released<br/>Thursday night.<br/>It would be recalled that the former NBA<br/>president was taken hostage 14 days ago in<br/>his Rumualogu area of Obio Akpor Local<br/>Government area, Rivers State. He was on his<br/>way to see his brother when he was allegedly<br/>abducted. <center><img border="0" height="250" src=" http://dvsl3w2q45hb8.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Okey-Wali.jpg " width="250"> </a></center><br/>Okey Wali<br/>In a statement he issued in Abuja yesterday,<br/>his successor in office, Mr. Augustine Alegeh,<br/>SAN, disclosed that Wali was released from<br/>captivity around 11pm.<br/>“I have personally spoken to him and can<br/>confirm that he is hale, hearty and in good<br/>spirit”, Alegeh stated.<br/>He said that Wali expressed his thanks and<br/>appreciation to members of the Bar and<br/>Bench, the security agencies, friends and<br/>family for their concern, support and prayers<br/>during the period of his ordeal, even as he<br/>thanked God for his safe release.<br/>The NBA President commended members of<br/>the legal body “for keeping calm throughout<br/>this period and not taking any steps that may<br/>have directly or indirectly jeopardised the<br/>efforts for his safe release which have now<br/>yielded positive results”.<br/>Though Alegeh failed to disclose how much<br/>the kidnappers collected as ransom to free the<br/>abducted ex-President of the association, he<br/>however thanked security agencies for the<br/>efforts they made towards Wali’s release.<br/>“The Nigerian Bar also wishes to place on<br/>record its appreciation of the efforts of the<br/>security agencies in securing the safe release<br/>of Okey Wali, SAN. The Director General of the<br/>State Security Services [SSS], the Inspector<br/>General of Police and the SSS State Directors<br/>and Police Commissioners in Rivers, Bayelsa,<br/>Delta and Edo states who worked tirelessly to<br/>secure his safe release deserve special<br/>mention.<br/>“While we celebrate the safe release of Okey<br/>Wali we must hasten to reiterate the fact that<br/>the spate of kidnappings and general state of<br/>insecurity in Our Country is cause for great<br/>concern.

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 Associatio...

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