From Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
An Ekiti State Chief Magistrates’ Court, sitting in Ado Ekiti, has ordered the remand of Ibrahim Abdulahi (28) and Muhammed Umaru (23) in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Ado Ekiti.
Moving the ex-parte application to remand the defendants, the Police prosecutor, Inspector Oriyomi Akinwale said, granting the order will allow Police complete their investigation, while the duplicate case file will be forwarded to the office of Director of Public Prosecutions for legal advice.
According to the charge, Ibrahim and Muhammed were on 16th March, 2022 at about 9:00pm at Ilemeso Ekiti in Oye Local Government Area of Ekiti State, reasonably suspected to have conspired to commit offence of armed robbery and kidnapping of one Bankole Ayodeji.
In his statement, Ayodeji, an okada rider said, he was working with some timber contractors in the farm around 9:00pm on that day, he was about coming home when he saw two Fulani herdsmen, he greeted them but they refused to answer, they asked for his boss and ordered him to kneel down, when he was trying to escape, one of them matcheted him on the head, hand and fingers, they led him to where he parked his motorcycle, when he could not ride due to the injuries sustained on his hand, head and fingers, they collected his phone, ordered him to unlock it and taught them how to operate it, thereafter they kept him somewhere in the bush where he eventually escaped. He was later taken to the hospital for treatment.
When he was on hospital bed, the defendants were arrested and brought to him for recognition.
The defendants were those who led him to where he parked his motorcycle, he concluded.
The offences run contrary to section 6 and 1 (2) (a) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provision) Act Cap. 398 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and Section 3(a) of the kidnapping and Terrorism (prohibition) Law of Ekiti State, 2015.
In his ruling, Chief Magistrate Bankole Oluwasanmi said, the accused shall be taken to the Nigeria Correctional Centre Ado Ekiti and there be remanded for a first and initial period of one month effective from today 24th March, 2022.
The matter has been adjourned to April 25 for mention