Kidnapper who collected N2m ransom remanded in Kwara

An Ilorin magistrates’ court has ordered the remand of a kidnap suspect in a correctional centre after he was charged by the police with criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide, kidnapping and armed robbery. Magistrate Ibrahim Mohammed ordered the remand of Zakari Ibrahim in the correctional facility at Oke Kura and adjourned the case until January 6th, […]

An Ilorin magistrates’ court has ordered the remand of a kidnap suspect in a correctional centre after he was charged by the police with criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide, kidnapping and armed robbery.

Magistrate Ibrahim Mohammed ordered the remand of Zakari Ibrahim in the correctional facility at Oke Kura and adjourned the case until January 6th, 2022.

According to the police prosecution team, the offences contravened section 97 & 221 of the penal code, section 15 of the Kwara State Prohibition of Kidnapping Law and Section 1(2) of the Armed Robbery and Firearms Special Provision Act.

The prosecution had earlier told the court that one Mr Ibrahim Tajudeen reported that he was attacked by some armed men along with his son, Ibrahim Lukman, daughter-in-law, Hauwa, and his granddaughter, Rodiat, while he was going home.

“He said that they came upon a road block and as his son, Ibrahim Lukman, tried to reverse their Toyota Corolla, the six armed men with rifles, cutlasses and other weapons came out of the bush.

“They fired gunshots at the car and succeeded in forcing them to stop; ordered them to lie on the ground, and robbed them of their belongings before they kidnapped his son to an unknown destination.

“The kidnappers later demanded a ransom of N20m but after they had left with his son, he found out that his daughter-in-law had been hit in the back by one of the gunshots, sustaining injuries which eventually resulted in her death.

“N2m was paid to secure the release of his son, Lukman, from the kidnappers,” the charge sheet quoted Tajudeen to have said.

 The police said Zakari was arrested at Ojoku of Offa town after discreet investigation and some of the things recovered from him included a memory card containing call recordings of a negotiation for the payment of ransom.

The suspect, however, denied his involvement in the alleged offences, saying he was innocent.