Alleged armed robber, kidnapper sent to prison in Ibadan

An Iyaganku Magistrates’ Court in Ibadan on Friday ordered the remand of 25-year-old Babuga Muhammadu at a correctional facility over alleged conspiracy, armed robbery, and kidnapping.

The magistrate, Mrs Kausarat Ayofe, for want of jurisdiction, did not take the plea of Muhammadu, whose address was not provided.

She directed the police to return the case file to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for legal advice and thereafter adjourned the case until Feb. 13 for mention.

The prosecutor, Insp. Toyin Ibrahim, had told the court that the defendant committed the offences on Sept. 5 at Saki in Oyo State.

Ibrahim said the defendant and others at large, while armed with guns and other dangerous weapons, attacked one Muhammadu Sanni and dispossessed him of his phone.

He said the defendant afterwards unlawfully kidnapped Sanni and collected a ransom of N5 million from his family members before releasing him after three days.

Ibrahim said the offences contravened Section 516 of the Criminal Laws of Oyo State, 2000, and two other laws.

The others are Section 6(b) of the Robbery and Firearms Laws of Nigeria, 2004, and Section 4(2) of the Oyo State Kidnapping Prohibition Law, 2016.

Alleged armed robber, kidnapper sent to prison in Ibadan