Ekiti court remands two over kidnapping

A chief magistrate’s court sitting in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State has ordered the remand of two persons, Aliyu Mohammed and Fatai Danjuma, in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services, Ado Ekiti over an allegation of kidnapping. The magistrate, Bamikole Oluwasanmi, said the order was to remand the two suspects for 30 days. In the […]

A chief magistrate’s court sitting in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State has ordered the remand of two persons, Aliyu Mohammed and Fatai Danjuma, in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services, Ado Ekiti over an allegation of kidnapping.

The magistrate, Bamikole Oluwasanmi, said the order was to remand the two suspects for 30 days.

In the ex-parte motion, the police prosecutor, Inspector Oriyomi Akinwale, told the court that the two accused persons were reasonably suspected to have committed offences of the kidnapping of Shittu Abdulganiyu, Shittu Kafilat and Kamorudden Ibrahim and as well illegally possessed firearms and ammunition.

According to the prosecutor, the offences contravene Section (3)(a) of the Kidnap and Terrorism (Prosecution) Law of Ekiti State, 2015 and sections 3 and 8, punishable under Section 27 (1)(a)i (b) (ii) of the Firearms Act.

He added that the offences were committed along Iluomoba-Ijesa Isu-Ikole Ekiti road in the Ikole Ekiti Magisterial District, on March 24, 2022 around 4pm.

The prosecutor said granting the order would allow the police to complete their investigation and forward a duplicate case file to the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for legal advice.

In his statement to the police, one of the victims said, they were coming from Abuja and passed through Iluomoba-Ijesa Isu-Ikole Ekiti road but that on getting to a bad portion of the road, “we saw a blockade and we were trying to manoeuvre our way when the accused persons came out of the bush and shot at our car bonnet and tire, the car stopped and they kidnapped us.

“We were led into a bush alongside other captives. The kidnappers contacted our relatives and demanded a ransom of N20 million but later agreed on N6 million.

Magistrate Oluwasanmi adjourned the case till May 13, for mention.