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

Gunmen Kill Three In Zamfara Community Over N3,500 Yoghurt

Published

20 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Editor

At least three people were killed on Wednesday in Danjibga village, Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State, after armed bandits attacked the community.

The incident was reported on Thursday, December 4, 2025, by security analyst Bakatsine on X.

Bakatsine explained that the attack began when a group of gunmen entered a local shop and attempted to take Rufaida yoghurt worth ₦3,500 without payment. The shop owner insisted on payment, prompting the men to become angry, drop the goods, and leave.

According to Bakatsine, the gunmen returned less than an hour later, heavily armed, and opened fire, killing three people. The attack also forced residents to flee and resulted in the looting of the shop.

He said, “Yesterday evening in the Danjibga community of Tsafe LGA, Zamfara State, a group of bandits entered a local shop and attempted to take Rufaida yoghurt worth ₦3,500 without payment.

“When the shop owner insisted on payment, the gunmen became angry, abandoned the yoghurt, and left. They returned less than an hour later and started shooting sporadically, which killed three people, forced residents to flee, and looted the shop.”

As of the time of filing this report, authorities have not issued an official statement regarding the incident.

Metro

Patient Accuses Ekiti Teaching Hospital Of Organ Harvesting

Published

20 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Editor

Management of the Ekiti State Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH) has commenced an investigation into an alleged organ harvesting levelled against it by a patient, Mr Joshua Afolayan, who had surgery recently in the facility.

Joshua had accused the Teaching Hospital of an alleged harvest of his kidney by medical doctors in the hospital.

Addressing a press conference in Ado Ekiti, Afolayan explained that he had an accident in August 2025, and after visiting the hospital, he was told that one of his kidneys was affected.

According to him, the results of multiple scans carried out, including at UCH, Ibadan, Oyo State, confirmed that the right kidney had been damaged but the left kidney was very fine.

However, during surgery to remove the faulty kidney so as to protect other organs, Afolayan confirmed that he still urinated five minutes before the surgery, but since the procedure in October, he has not been able to pass urine.
He noted that all efforts to get explanations from the hospital proved abortive, as they continued to play him around.

Afolayan added that on second thought, he decided to visit another facility for scanning, only to discover that he had been living without a kidney since the operation.

He called on the government to carry out a thorough investigation and save his life, as he has continued to live in pain.

However, disturbed by the development, the Chairman, Board of Management of the Teaching Hospital, Dr Adedamola Dada, constituted a seven-man panel of enquiry to look into the alleged case of kidney removal in the hospital.
A statement by Rolake Adewumi, Head, Corporate Affairs, EKSUTH, disclosed that the members of the panel included Prof. Francis Faduyile, an Anatomic Pathologist from the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, who will serve as the Chairman of the panel.

Other members included Prof. Patrick Temi Adegun of the Federal University, Oye Ekiti; Dr Henry Abiyere from Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido–Ekiti; Dr Adebola Adeniyi–Agbaje, General Manager, Progress F.M, Ado-Ekiti.
Others are Reverend Emmanuel Aribasoye, Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria, Ekiti State branch; High Chief (Prof) Babatunde Akindele, the Elemo of Ado–Ekiti, a community leader; and Barr. Adebayo Titilayo, the Legal Adviser to Ekiti State Ministry of Health, who will serve as Secretary to the panel.

She said that the panel has ten days to submit its report, adding that the hospital management reassured the public that no stone would be left unturned to determine the issues involved in the matter.

“The Management noted that members of the panel are independent and responsible members of the community who would exhibit fairness and justice.

“All the affected parties and the general public were urged to cooperate with the panel as the findings are being awaited.”

Metro

Appeal Court Upholds Ban On Vehicle Impoundment, Awards N1m Damages

Published

21 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Editor

The Court of Appeal in Abuja, on Thursday, affirmed the judgment of a Federal High Court which stopped the Directorate of Road Traffic Services, also known as VIO, from further stopping, impounding, or confiscating vehicles on the road and imposing fines on motorists.

The appellate court, in the judgment delivered by Justice Oyejoju Oyebiola Oyewumi, held that the case of the VIO was lacking in merit.

“I find no iota of merit in this appeal; the decision of the lower court is hereby affirmed.

“Cost of N1 million is awarded against the appellant,” the appellate court held.

Recall that Justice Evelyn Maha of the Federal High Court had, in a judgment in a fundamental rights enforcement suit last year, issued an order restraining the VIO from impounding or confiscating the vehicles of motorists and/or imposing fines on any motorist.

The judge predicated her decision on the grounds that the appellants lacked the necessary legal backing to stop, impound, or confiscate vehicles and/or impose fines on motorists.

While the suit was filed by a rights activist and public interest lawyer, Mr Abubakar Marshal, the order is said to bind the Director of Road Transport, the Area Commander, Jabi, and the Team Leader, Jabi, as well as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), all listed as respondents in the case.

The judge held that the first to the fourth respondents, who are under the control of the fifth respondent (FCT minister), are not empowered by any law or statute to stop, impound, or confiscate vehicles and/or impose fines on motorists.

The trial judge had subsequently issued an order restraining the first to the fifth respondents, either through their agents, servants, and/or assigns, from impounding or confiscating the vehicles of motorists and/or imposing fines on any motorist, adding that doing so is wrongful, oppressive, and unlawful.

The judge also issued an order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents, whether by themselves, agents, privies, allies, or anybody acting on behalf of the first respondent, from further violating the rights of Nigerians to freedom of movement, presumption of innocence, and the right to own property without lawful justification.

Dissatisfied, the Directorate of Road Traffic Services appealed the judgment of the trial court but lost.