Insecurity: Gunmen Kidnap Newly Called to Bar Lawyer Onyesom Udoka and Sister in Kogi, Demand N20m Ransom

Barrister Onyesom Peace Udoka, a young lawyer recently called to the Nigerian Bar, has been kidnapped alongside her sister while travelling home from her Call to Bar ceremony.

SaharaReporters gathered that the abduction occurred on Friday, September 27, 2025, around Lokoja, Kogi State, just four days after Udoka’s official induction into the legal profession in Abuja on Tuesday, September 23.

According to a public appeal shared on X (formerly Twitter) by a colleague identified as Blue Lawyer (@Rhave_official), the kidnappers are demanding a ransom of ₦20 million for the release of Udoka and her sister.

Udoka, who studied law at Ambrose Alli University and attended the Nigerian Law School, Enugu Campus, was reportedly travelling in a vehicle from Abuja to Benin City, Edo State, when the attack happened.

“My friend and colleague has been kidnapped on her way home from the Call to Bar ceremony. Please, we need help. There’s a ₦20 million ransom on her and her sister,” the colleague wrote.

The incident adds to growing concerns about insecurity in Nigeria, particularly in Kogi State, where kidnapping cases have been on the rise.

Recently, the District Head of Garga, Alhaji Zubairu Usman Garba, and two women were abducted in Kanam Local Government Area of Plateau State.

In Katsina, however, a peace pact between a community and armed groups recently secured the release of abducted victims.

Udoka’s case underscores the urgent need for decisive security measures to tackle the wave of abductions that continue to endanger citizens across the country.