The legal community has been thrown into shock after a young lawyer, Onyesom Peace Udoka, went missing on her way from Abuja to Benin City, Edo State, barely 24 hours after being called to the Nigerian Bar.
Udoka, who trained at the Enugu campus of the Nigerian Law School, was among those formally inducted as barristers and solicitors of the Supreme Court of Nigeria on September 23.
In a celebratory post on Facebook that day, she proudly reintroduced herself as: “P. O. Udoka Esq. Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria 💯.”
Her colleague and fellow lawyer, Didi Johnson, raised the alarm in a Facebook post, announcing that Udoka had been kidnapped while returning home from the ceremony.
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“My colleague, Onyesom Peace Udoka, has been kidnapped on her way back home from CALL TO THE BAR CEREMONY,” Johnson wrote, appealing for urgent help.
According to details shared, Udoka’s last known location was near Lokoja, Kogi State, around midday on Friday, September 27.
She had reportedly contacted someone by phone shortly before communication was lost.
Johnson described her as a friend and colleague, urging anyone with information to contact the authorities.
The incident has sparked widespread concern among young lawyers and calls for urgent action by security agencies.
The abduction underscores the growing dangers on Nigeria’s highways, particularly the Abuja–Lokoja–Benin route, which has in recent years been plagued by kidnappings and violent attacks.
For Udoka’s family, friends, and colleagues, what began as a week of celebration has turned into a harrowing wait for her safe return.
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