An Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ Court, sitting in Ibadan, on Wednesday remanded four defendants at Abolongo Correctional Centre, Oyo, for alleged armed robbery and kidnapping.
The defendants are Usman Abubakar, a.k.a. Mallami, 27, Abubakar Sadiku, a k.a. Buba, 32, Mohammed Bello, 32, and Aliyu Usman, 30.
The defendants, whose addresses were not provided, are being tried for conspiracy, armed robbery and kidnapping
The Chief Magistrate, Mr Olaide Amzat, who refused to take the plea of the defendants due to lack of jurisdiction, ordered that the casefile be forwarded to Oyo State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice.
He adjourned the case until Sept. 22 for mention.
The Police Prosecutor, Insp. Opeyemi Olagunju, told the court that the defendants on May7 about 2p.m at Idi-Ayunre, along Ibadan/Ijebu-Ode road, Ibadan, allegedly conspired and kidnapped one Adebukola Adebayo.
He said the defendants, while armed with gun, allegedly attacked and robbed Adebayo of N10,000 and one cell phone valued at N55,000
He alleged that the defendants kidnapped Adebukola and collected a ransom of N3million from Adebukola’s relatives before releasing her after spending four days in their captivity.
Olagunju said the offence contravened Sections 1 (2), and 6 (B) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap RII Vol.14, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004.
He said the offence also contravened Section (2) and punishable under Section 4 (2) of the Oyo State Kidnapping (Prohibition) Law, 2016.