Justice has finally been served for the family of Elozino Joshualia Ogege, a 300-level Mass Communication student at Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, as a Delta State High Court sitting in Ogwashi-Uku sentenced two men to death by hanging for her kidnapping and murder. The judgment, delivered on July 29, 2026, by Justice Flora Ngozi Azinge, concluded a criminal trial that began after the student’s tragic death in 2019.
Convictions and Acquittal
The court convicted Macaulay Desmond Oghenemaro and Enaike Onoriode on four counts: conspiracy to kidnap, kidnapping, conspiracy to murder, and murder. Both received the death penalty. However, the third defendant, Nwosisi Benedict Uche, was acquitted after Justice Azinge ruled that the prosecution failed to provide sufficient evidence linking him to the crime. A fourth defendant, Robinson Obajero Ojokojo, an alleged native doctor, died before the case reached its conclusion, leaving him beyond the reach of the law.
Details of the Crime
Ogege was killed in 2019 after she left to meet a man who had promised to help her secure off-campus accommodation near the university. Her disappearance and subsequent murder sparked nationwide outrage when investigations revealed the crime was linked to an alleged ritual killing involving suspects believed to be practitioners of the so-called “Yahoo Plus”—a form of internet fraud combined with occult rituals. The case drew intense media scrutiny and public calls for justice.
Reactions to the Verdict
Delta State Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Omamuzo Erebe (SAN), who prosecuted the case, described the verdict as long-awaited justice. “They have waited for justice, and today, justice has finally been served,” Erebe said. He added that the ruling should serve as a strong deterrent: “No matter how long it takes, the law will eventually catch up with offenders.” Benjamin Okoh, counsel to the acquitted defendant Nwosisi Benedict Uche, welcomed the judgment, stating that it demonstrated that justice had been done by distinguishing the innocent from the guilty.
Broader Implications for Crime Prevention
The case is one of several high-profile trials involving ritual killings and kidnappings in Delta State. Legal experts note that the death sentence, though rarely carried out in Nigeria, sends a firm message about judicial zero tolerance for violent crime. The trial’s duration—spanning nearly seven years—underscores the challenges of securing convictions in complex criminal cases, particularly those involving multiple defendants and allegations of ritual practices.
In a separate but related case earlier this year, a Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced three men to life imprisonment for their roles in the abduction of students and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State. Those convicts, members of the proscribed terrorist group Darul Salam (an affiliate of Ansaru), had pleaded guilty to terrorism-related charges. Justice Salim Ibrahim rejected pleas for leniency, ordering that the life sentences take effect from the date each convict was first remanded.
The Delta High Court’s ruling has been widely reported in Nigerian media, with many commentators highlighting the resilience of the victim’s family and the prosecution’s commitment to seeing the case through. As the legal system continues to grapple with rising incidents of ritual killings and kidnappings, this judgment stands as a landmark outcome for victims’ rights advocates.
