In a significant legal development, Justice Adenike Akinpelu of the Kwara State High Court has handed down a life imprisonment sentence to the Serikin Fulani (Head of the Fulani) in Kwara State, Alhaji Usman Adamu, along with his brother and an accomplice, Gidado Idris, for their involvement in a kidnapping conspiracy.
The case, investigated by the Department of State Security and prosecuted by the Director of Public Prosecutions in the state Ministry of Justice, centered on the trio’s conspiracy to kidnap and the subsequent kidnapping of one Abubakar Ahmad. The victim was held captive for 20 days in the bush, during which a ransom of N1 million was collected before his eventual release. The kidnapping incident occurred between May and June 2022.
Justice Akinpelu, in her judgment, emphasized that the convicts were in unanimous agreement to commit the crime. She dismissed the argument that their physical presence at the kidnap scene was immaterial, stating, “Whether they were physically present at the kidnap scene or not was immaterial.”
Expressing her disappointment, Justice Akinpelu remarked, “It is saddening and disturbing that community leaders charged with the welfare of their subjects could, because of the love for money, breach the security of the same subjects. They are hereby found guilty as charged and are so convicted.”
Following the convicts’ plea, highlighting family responsibilities, the judge, citing Section 15 of the Kwara State Anti-Kidnapping Law, clarified that the court had no discretion of leniency. The trio was sentenced to life imprisonment, with the judge specifying that the sentence would run concurrently.
In addition, Justice Akinpelu ordered the payment of N600,000 to Alhaji Ahmad, the victim of the abduction. The judgment underscores the severity of the crime and serves as a deterrent against future acts of kidnapping and criminal conspiracies in the region.
