The Department of State Services (DSS) has arraigned five men over separate kidnapping incidents in Imo State, including the abduction of 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members on Independence Day.
Three of the defendants, Usman Aliyu, 25, also known as Chonge; Babangida Aliyu, 21; and Mohammed Ali, 23, popularly known as Smallie Pepper, were accused of abducting the prospective corps members along the Owerri–Mgbidi–Onitsha Expressway on October 1.
The victims were reportedly travelling from Ibadan to their orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states when they were kidnapped and were rescued after seven days.
The defendants were charged with conspiracy to commit hostage-taking under Section 6 of the Imo State Prohibition of Hostage Taking and Related Offences Law No. 4 of 2009.
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According to the charge sheet filed at the Imo State High Court, Oru Judicial Division, Mgbidi, the three men and others still at large were also accused of unlawfully possessing three AK-47 rifles, four magazines, a pistol and 81 rounds of live ammunition.
In a separate case, two other defendants, Aminu Haliru, 27, and Tange Ibrahim, 20, also known as Jijji, were arraigned over the alleged abduction of four persons around Owerri and Mgbidi on October 4.
Prosecutors alleged that the duo and others still at large collected N8 million as ransom for the release of the four victims.
They were also accused of unlawfully possessing an AK-47 rifle and a pump-action gun. The prosecution listed N1.8 million as money recovered in connection with the second case.
A DSS investigator and the victims were listed as prosecution witnesses in both cases.
The five defendants face charges relating to conspiracy, hostage-taking and unlawful possession of firearms.
