Metro

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

Published

2 years ago

October 6, 2023

Editor

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

Armed Bandits Attack Mopol Camp, Cart Away Rifles In Kebbi

Published

2 hours ago

June 28, 2025

Editor

Kebbi State Government has confirmed that a group of armed bandits attacked a Mobile Police post in Makuku, located in the Zuru Local Government Area, and made away with an undisclosed number of rifles.

The Director of Security at the Cabinet Office, Abdulrahman Zagga, disclosed this to journalists in Bagudo Local Government Area on Saturday.

According to Zagga, the mobile police post, which was manned by visiting officers, came under heavy attack from a large group of bandits numbering in the hundreds. Despite engaging the attackers in a fierce gun battle, the officers were ultimately overpowered.

“The bandits burnt a Toyota Hilux patrol vehicle belonging to the unit and escaped with an undisclosed number of rifles,” he stated.

Zagga clarified that it was not a police station that was attacked, as some reports claimed, but a temporary mobile police post. He added that the mobile police officers were forced to withdraw due to the overwhelming number of assailants.

He further revealed that upon learning of the attack, the state government requested air support from the Nigerian Air Force, which helped force the bandits to retreat.

“No casualties were recorded during the incident,” Zagga said. “Most of the bandits infiltrated from neighbouring Zamfara and Niger States.”

He explained that Makuku village shares a border with Niger State, making it vulnerable to such attacks.

Zagga also emphasised that, unlike some neighbouring states, Kebbi State has no peace agreements with any bandit groups or their leaders.

He pointed out that informants remain a major obstacle in the fight against banditry and noted that attacks tend to intensify during the rainy season due to extortion tactics used against farming communities.

“Once they demand money from a community and it is paid, the bandits may temporarily leave that community alone. But once the money runs out, they move on to another community to extort. That’s why many communities remain in constant fear,” he added.

However, Kebbi State Command Police image maker, CSP, Nafiu Abubakar, could not be reached for comment as of the time of filing this report.

Metro

I Will Not Move Out Of My Husband’s House, Divorced Woman Tells Court

Published

13 hours ago

June 28, 2025

Editor

A mother of six, Latinate Sanusi, has told a Shari’a court in Magajin Gari, Kaduna, Kaduna State, that she cannot leave her former husband’s house after three pronouncement of divorce.

Latinate stated this in response to Abdulrazak Yunusa’s prayer to confirm the three pronouncement of divorce he made to her and compel her to leave his house.

“My children are all girls and I intend to stay so that I can take care of them; after all he does not provide most of their needs,” she said.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the complainant told the court that he takes care of his family adding that he divorced her because she was not submissive.

The judge, Malam Kabir Muhammad after listening to both parties confirmed the three pronouncement of divorce between the couple.

He explained that there was no marriage between the couple until the woman remarries.

“What is before me is a suit on confirmation of divorce; the issue of children custody can be filed as a fresh case,” he said.

Metro

Court Dissolves Marriage On Couple’s Agreement

Published

13 hours ago

June 28, 2025

Editor

An Area Court sitting in Ilorin, Kwara State, has dissolved the Islamic marriage between one Mujidat Abdullahi and Muyideen Raji based on mutual agreement.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the presiding judge, Toyin Aluko, in his ruling said that the husband sent a letter to the court, saying that he has agreed to the divorce application of his wife.

Aluko said that since the two parties have agreed to divorce, there was no need to prolong the case.

He added that marriage should not be forced on anyone.

Aluko, therefore, dissolved their marriage and awarded custody of the only child of their marriage to the wife, due to the child’s young age.

The court ordered that the woman should observe the iddah (waiting) period before she could remarry again.

It also ordered that a copy of the ruling be made available to the husband.

Raji was ordered to pay the sum of N10,000 monthly for the child’s feeding and upkeep.

He was also granted the opportunity to have unlimited access to the child, but at a reasonable time.

Earlier, the wife had told the court that she was tired of the marriage due to lack of love and care, adding that she wanted divorce.