A Federal High Court sitting in Calabar has remanded 8 persons for kidnapping, terrorism and possession of illegal firearms at the Afokang Correctional Service centre.

Five were arraigned by the Nigeria Police Force for kidnapping, terrorism and possession of illegal fire arms on a three count charge in Charge numbers FHC/CA/94c/2020 and three others on a two count charge of charges number: FHC/CA/95c/2020 for three others.

The Presiding Judge, Justice S.M Shaibu ordered that the 8 defendants be remanded at Calabar Correctional facility on a three count charge and two count charge respectively levelled against them by the police. He ordered that the 8 of them be remanded till 25 of February 2021 at the centre pending their trial at the Federal High Court 1, Calabar.

Recall that the 8 of them were arrested by Operation Delta Safe, OPDS and handed over to the police before they were charged to a Federal High Court by the Federal Government (Nigeria Police Force).

It was learned that Ita Ndiyo, 28; Kenneth Atu IV, 32; Idiang Idisng, 33; Bassey Okon, 27; and Ndifon Ajom, 23 were arrested with 2 Pump action guns, (2) 1 Locally made pistol gun, (3) 10 Live cartridges, (4) Six 9mm live ammunitions as they dispossessed a Cameroonian and other victims of cash in the tune of 3.8 million naira as well as CFA270,000.00 in Cameroon CFA and were arrested on the act.

Others include Moses Edem, 18; Godwin Nyong, 24; and 19-year-old Bassey Etim, who were also arrested by OPDS after they picked and held their victim, Mrs. Theresa Francis Nyong, and held her hostage for some days and demanded ransom of N30 million. All eight of them pleaded not guilty to all the charges levelled against them by police as the matter was adjourned to February 25, 2021, March 3 and 4 while other would be on March 15 to 17 respectively. Meanwhile all 8 of them have been remanded at the Afokang Correctional Service facility in Calabar till 2021.

On his part, the Commissioner of Police, Abdulkadir Jimoh, said the police will not leave any stone unturned in making sure that Justice was served. Jimoh, who spoke with Vanguard on phone, said: “We are making sure that due process is followed and every suspect get their day in court as required by law.”

“We are not going to keep anyone in our facility ones we conclude investigation, we charge them to court immediately, so that it can serve as deterrent to others who may have the intention to committing crime,” he said. (Vanguard)

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