The Inspector-General (I-G) of Police on Thursday arraigned a 23-year-old man, Ibrahim Abubakar, for allegedly kidnapping and killing a cleric, Nicholas Alfa, and another man, Elijah Nweke in Abuja.
Abubakar was arraigned before Justice Salim Ibrahim of the Federal High Court in Abuja on a six-count charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/618/2026.
He was also charged with illegal possession of firearms and hostage-taking, which resulted in the death of the victims.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that although Abubakar and a co-defendant, Abubakar Shuaibu, were named as 2nd and 1st defendants, respectively, in the charge, Shuaibu’s name was later deleted from the charge.
The Prosecution Counsel, Dabo Yakubu, applied to remove Shuaibu’s name as the 1st defendant from the charge.
The Defence Counsel, Enyisal Lawrence, did not oppose the application.
Shortly after the case was called, Yakubu, a lawyer from the I-G Special Tactical Squad, informed the court that he had an application pursuant to Section 216 of Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015.
He told the judge that Shuaibu, who was listed as 1st defendant, died in the Asokoro General Hospital from an undisclosed illness.
The lawyer, therefore, applied that the deceased’s name be deleted from the charge so that Abubakar could take his plea.
Justice Ibrahim then struck out Shuaibu’s name from the charge.
After the six counts were read to Abubakar, he pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The prosecution lawyer then applied for a trial date and Justice Ibrahim adjourned the matter until Nov. 26 at 11am for commencement of trial.
The police alleged that Shuaibu, 22, Abubakar, 23 and others, at large, on or about May 16 at Gbagalape in Nyanya, armed themselves with guns and other dangerous weapons, conspired and kidnapped Nweke and Pastor Alfa for ransom.
They were further alleged to have taken the victim to the Gbagalape Forest, where they negotiated with their families for the sum of N8 million only to be paid as ransom.
The offence, the police said, is punishable under sections of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
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