The Ekiti State High Court has sentenced two men to death by hanging for their involvement in the kidnapping of a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) staff member. The convicts, Ibrahim Abubakar and Abdullahi Abubakar, were prosecuted by the Department of State Services (DSS) for the abduction of Omoboade Adesina on April 22, 2022.
Court Proceedings and Verdict
Delivering judgment, the Chief Judge of Ekiti State, Lekan Ogunmoye, convicted the two defendants and sentenced them to death. However, a third defendant, Usman Abubakar, was discharged after the court found insufficient evidence linking him to the crime. The Chief Judge commended the DSS prosecutors for their diligence in proving the case beyond reasonable doubt.
Key Evidence Leading to Conviction
The Chief Judge highlighted two critical pieces of evidence that led to the conviction: the identification parade conducted by the DSS and the analysis of call data records during the investigation. These elements were pivotal in establishing the guilt of Ibrahim Abubakar and Abdullahi Abubakar.
Broader Context of DSS Victories
This conviction marks another major courtroom victory for the DSS. It follows a death sentence handed down by a Sokoto High Court against three men convicted of terrorism and cross-border arms proliferation, as well as the conviction of a kidnapper in Kogi State earlier secured by the Service, among other successes.
