From Tony Osauzo, Benin
The Edo State Police Command, yesterday, explained that the arraignment of eight suspects of the attack and kidnap in the Igueben train station was to get an exparte order for more investigation and not the beginning of their trial as being reported.
Spokesman of the Command, SP Chidi Nwabuzor, while reacting to the reports of their trials yesterday, said: “The appearance of the suspects in court was not for court trial ,but for the extension of exparte order. It is an order of court that enables the police investigators to extend the detention of suspect(s) for a period of 14 days to enable them meet up with exigencies”.
The police last Wednesday said two village chiefs and five others were arrested in connection with the crime.
In a court document signed by I. E. Ekibade Esq of the Legal Section, State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Police Headquarters, Benin City, listed the suspects as: Ibadin Hamilton, Ighoko Odion, Okojie Ewa, Okie Patrick, Friday Ighedujiemu, Halilu Umaru, Aminu Ibrahim, and Isah Aliyu and accused them of criminal conspiracy and kidnapping.
The document revealed that Odion, 62, Ewa, 58, Patrick, 42, Ighedujiemu, 51, Hamilton, 59, Umaru, 28, Ibrahim, 25, and Aliyu, 25, all male, conspired to kidnap the victims with the expectation of getting N20 million from their relatives as ransom for their freedom.
“That you Ighoko Odion, Okojie Ewa, Okie Patrick, Friday Ighedujiemu, Ibadin Hamilton, Halilu Umaru, Aminu Ibrahim, Isah Aliyu, and others now at large, on or about the 16th day of January, 2023 at about 12:00 hours at the Nigerian Railway Station, Igueben, Edo State, in the Benn Judicial Division, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit: Kidnapping and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 5 and punishable under Section 2 (1) (2) of the Kidnapping Prohibition (Amendment) Law of Edo State, 2013.”
“That you Ighoko Odion, Okojie Ewa, Okie Patrick, Friday Ighedujiemu, Ibadin Hamilton, Halilu Umaru, Aminu Ibrahim, Isah Aliyu, and others now at large, on or about the 16th day of January, 2023 at about 12:00 hours at the Nigerian Railway Station, Igueben, Edo State, in the Benn Judicial Division, while armed with guns and other dangerous weapon, did attack and kidnapped passengers inside the train to an unknown destination till now with intent to receive ransom payment of N20,000,000.00 before release from your captivity and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 2 (1), (2) of the kidnapping Prohibition (Amendment) Law of Edo State, 2013”, the two-count charge read.