The Department of State Services (DSS) has arraigned five suspects over the abduction of 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and four other persons in Imo State, with three defendants pleading not guilty to charges including hostage-taking, ransom collection and illegal possession of firearms.
The suspects were brought before the Imo State High Court on Tuesday in two separate cases involving alleged kidnappings along the Owerri–Onitsha road and other locations in the state.
According to a report by Vanguard, Usman Aliyu, Babangida Aliyu and Mohammed Ali were charged over the abduction of 20 prospective corps members who were travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to their orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states.
The three defendants pleaded not guilty to a three-count charge bordering on abduction and hostage-taking, the collection of ₦48 million and foreign currency as ransom, and unlawful possession of firearms.
In a separate case, Aminu Alihu and Dangi Abraham were arraigned over the alleged abduction of four persons, including Winner Ogidi, Opara Timothy and Ogechi Henrietta, around Owerri and Mgbidi on October 4.
The two defendants also pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy, hostage-taking and illegal possession of firearms.
The prosecution, led by Ekezie Nwauzo, filed an application seeking an order to keep the defendants in DSS custody. Justice Emeka Orafu granted the application.
The court adjourned the cases to October 22 and October 27, 28 and 29 for further proceedings.
The arraignment followed the October 1 abduction of 20 prospective corps members near Umunoha in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State. Gunmen reportedly attacked two buses conveying the victims and took them into the bush.
The victims were rescued on October 7 during a joint security operation at Amakohia-Ubi in Imo State after several days in captivity.
Five suspects were subsequently arrested during intelligence-led operations in Rivers and Abia states between October 10 and 14, while three other suspected members of the gang reportedly escaped with gunshot injuries.
