Ozekhome’s abductors docked
Adetokunbo Fakeye
Alleged kidnappers of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Chief Mike Ozekhome and Delta Commissioner for Higher Education, Professor Hope Eghagha, among others were yesterday arraigned before a federal high court siting in Abuja.
The suspected kidnapers, Kelvin Oniarah Eziegbe, Frank Azuekor and Micheal Omonigho were accused of being behind series of kidnap and terrorism cases in the Edo-Delta states axis between 2010 and 2013.
The accused persons who allegedly collected the sum of N75million as ransom for the release of the lawyer and the commissioner were also charged with killing of five policemen and two prison officials.
They were also said to have been involved in the kidnap of Attanasius Ugbome and his friend, Emmanuel Maka Omorogbe.
In the 13-count charge against them, they were said to have made about N75million from Ozekhome, Eghagha, Ugbome and Omorogbe before they were released.
They also said to have allegedly compelled Ozekhome to pay N40m (paid in US Dollars), while Eghagha paid N7m, Ugbome paid N20m, while Omorogbe paid N3.5m for their respective release.
The prosecutor, Mrs Chioma Onuegbu, gave the names of the policemen allegedly killed during the kidnap of Ozekhome and Eghagha as: Paul Sunday Ajaka (an Assistant Superintendent of Police), Sunday Ewanshiha (Inspector), Michael Akpada (Inspector), Bakary Kong (Inspector) and Innocent Odoh (Sergeant).
The prison officials who lost their lives to the accused person are Lawrence Edore (Inspector) and Oyibo Okoye (SPA).
Charges against them read inter alia: conspiracy to commit terrorism act to include kidnapping, accessory to act of terrorism, inciting persons to commit act of terrorism, recruitment, escape and abetting escape.
The duo of Eziegbe and Azuekor were, accused in counts two and three of conspiracy to commit terrorism act of murder by shooting and killing five police officers and two prison officials; commuting of intentional murder by shooting to killing five police officers and two prison officials.
Azuekor was accused, in count seven, of escaping with others from lawful custody when the prison vehicle in which they were being conveyed to court was allegedly attacked by Eziegbe and others.
Michael Omonigho was accused, in counts 12 and 13 of acting as the group’s herbalist by providing “spiritual and moral support” to it, and failing to reporting the groups activities to security agencies.
Their alleged offences are said to be punishable under sections 1(2)(f), 8(1)(b), 10, 15(1), 17, d 19 of the Terrorism Prevention Act 2011(as amended).
The accused pleaded not guilty to all the 13 counts of the charge.
Following their plea of not guilty, their lawyer, Mr. Bala Dakum made an oral application for their bail but the court declined to hear any oral application and directed the lawyer to file a formal application and serve on the prosecutor for her response before it could be heard.
Police had last year arraigned the three before a Magistrates’ Court in Wuse, Abuja, but the matter was thereafter withdrawn from the court.