Metro

Court Sentences Mike Ozekhome’s Kidnappers To 20-yr Imprisonment Each

Published

2 years ago

October 6, 2023

A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday, convicted and sentenced two of the four defendants alleged to have kidnapped Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, to a 20-year-jail term each.

Justice Binta Nyako, in a judgment, held that the prosecution had been able to establish the counts preferred against Kelvin Ezeigbe and Frank Azuekor, who were 1st and 2nd defendants, beyond reasonable doubt.

Justice Nyako held that the sentence would run from the day of their arrest.

The judge, however, discharged and acquitted Michael Omonigho and Momoh Haruna, who were 3rd and 4th defendants, of the counts levelled against them in the terrorism charge.

According to NAN, she held that though some of the counts against Ezeigbe and Azuekor attracted punishment ranging from death sentence, life imprisonment to at least 10 years jail term, she said she had found that the accused had been remorseful of their criminal act.

The judge also found that they had been in custody for about 10 years from the day of their arrest.

According to the report, while Omonigho, who was said to be the chief priest, was in court, Haruna was not.

When Nyako warned Omonigho to be careful as people worship in his shrine in the open court, the chief priest responded thus: “I have repented my lord.”

The judge, however, directed that Haruna, who was at large, should be brought to court to face the sin of his escape from lawful custody, even though he was discharged of the counts against him.

The judge commended the defence lawyer, Bala Dakum, and the prosecution counsel, Chioma Onuegbu, for their industrious input in the course of the trial.

NAN reports that the defendants; Kelvin Ezeigbe, Frank Azuekor, Michael Omonigho and Momoh Haruna were first arraigned before Justice Adeniyi Ademola of a FHC, on June 9, 2014, on a 13-count charge bordering on conspiracy, armed robbery, kidnapping and acts of terrorism.

While the three defendants were in court, Haruna was said to be missing after the attack on Kuje Correctional Centre by terrorists on July 5, 2022.

They were accused of committing acts of terrorism, contrary to Sections 1, 8 and 10 of the Terrorism Prevention Act, 2011.

They were alleged to have, on Aug. 23, 2013, kidnapped Mr. Ozekhome at Iruekpen on his way to Iviukwe in Agenebode, Edo.

Ozekhome was held in captivity for about three weeks before his release allegedly following the payment of N28 million ransom.

They were also accused of kidnapping Delta State Commissioner for Higher Education, Prof Hope Eghagha; Attanasius Ugbme and his friend, Emmanuel Maka Omorogbe, and killing five policemen and two prison officials.

The defendants were also alleged to have compelled Eghagha to pay N7 million, Ugbome paid N20 million and Omorogbe paid N3.5 million.

The five police officers allegedly killed were Paul Ajaka, Sunday Ewanshiha, Michael Akpada, Bakary Ekong and Innocent Odoh.

They also allegedly killed Lawrence Edora and Oyibo Okoye who were prison officers and made away with their service rifles.

The four suspects were refused bail filed on their behalf by their lawyer, Bala Dakum.

While Ezeigbe and Azuekor had been held at the facility of the Department of State Service (DSS), Omonigho and Haruna were held at Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja.

Metro

Three Suspects Lynched As Mob Burns NSCDC Outpost In Kano

Published

5 hours ago

December 29, 2025

Editor

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Kano State has confirmed that a mob attacked its outpost in Danmaje, Dawakin Kudu Local Government Area, killing three suspects.

In a press statement dated December 29, 2025, and signed by SC Ibrahim Idris Abdullahi, the Command Public Relations Officer, the NSCDC said the incident happened on Sunday, December 28, around 10:30pm.

According to the statement, residents of Yansango community brought three unknown men, suspected to be motorcycle thieves, to the civil defence outpost in Danmaje.

The area where they were arrested is said to be notorious for motorcycle theft.

Before officers could begin any investigation, people from several nearby communities ,including Yansango, Madinawa, Gagarawa, Limawa, Yankatsari, Danmaje and Gurjiya gathered at the outpost.

The crowd reportedly surrounded the office and demanded that the suspects be released to them.

The statement said the situation quickly got out of control. Before security reinforcements arrived, the mob forced their way into the office, set it on fire and lynched the three suspects.

NSCDC said officers on duty managed to escape, but three of them were injured and are currently receiving medical treatment.

While calling on the public to remain calm, the corps said the state commandant, acting on the directive of the Commandant General, has set up a committee to investigate the incident.

The aim, according to the statement, is to identify those involved and ensure they are brought to justice.

Metro

Moment Nigerians Rescued Anthony Joshua After Accident On Lagos–Ibadan Expressway [VIDEO]

Published

6 hours ago

December 29, 2025

Editor

A video captured the moment Nigerian-born British heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua was rescued after a fatal accident along the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway.

The police have confirmed that two people lost their lives in the accident while Joshua sustained injuries.

Metro

Edo: Man In Police Net For Allegedly Killing Abroad Returnee

Published

1 day ago

December 28, 2025

Editor

The Edo State Police Command has arrested a suspect identified as Amadin William, for allegedly killing a 43-year-old Eghosa Osaikhuowuomwan, popularly known as Didi
in Oben community, Orhionmwon Local Government Area of the state.

Osaikhuowuomwan, who reportedly resides abroad was in his community to celebrate the Christmas and New Year where he was killed by the suspect.

The command’s spokesperson, Eno Ikoedem, who confirmed the incident, said the deceased went to attend a house warming party in the community on December 22, 2025, and in the process he (the deceased) excused himself to defecate where the suspect trailed him with matchett and machetted him in the neck.

Ikoedem, who said the deceased bled in the process and was confirmed dead in the hospital, adding that the deceased younger sister , Endurance Efe thereafter reported the incident to the police on December 23 2025.

She stressed that after the incident was reported to the police, the police started tracking the suspect, adding that he was eventually arrested in Benin City on December 27, 2025.

Ikoedem, who could not confirm if the deceased was an abroad returnee as claimed, noted: “The incident was reported on the 23rd of this month by the deceased edler sister named Endurance Efe.

“After giving the deceased a machete cut in the neck, the suspect fled the scene. It happened that on December 22, 2025, the deceased went for a house warning party in the community. During that party, he excused himself to defecate, and that was when the suspect came out and followed him with a machete, and gave him a cut in the neck, and he bled, and bled to death. He was actually confirmed dead at the hospital.

“The matter was reported at the police station the next day, by the deceased sister, and since then we have been tracking the suspect. He was arrested yesterday, December 27, 2025, in Benin City.”

The command’s spokesperson, while stating that the “suspect is currently in custody,” added that “but he is not the only one in custody. Two other persons were also arrested for arson.”

“Following the incident, hoodlums suspected to be from the victim’s family set ablaze the house of the suspect’s father and the community banner, for which two suspects—Prince Nosa ‘m’ aged 25 and Sunday Ogedegbe ‘m’ aged 30 were arrested and are in custody for Arson,” she said.