A High Court in Kogi State has sentenced a man, Jibrin Halilu, to death by hanging after convicting him of kidnapping and murder.
The judgment was delivered on Tuesday by Justice Abdul Nicodemus Awulu, who ruled that the prosecution had successfully proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
The court heard that Halilu, alongside others still at large, abducted the owner of Everready Hotel in Obajana in March 2023 and demanded a ransom from his family.
Although the victim’s family reportedly paid ₦2.5 million for his release, he was later killed by his abductors.
During the trial, prosecutors told the court that the victim was able to identify one of his attackers before his death, a detail that aided investigations leading to Halilu’s arrest.
The prosecution further linked the convict to another kidnapping incident in which a separate victim was abducted and ₦5 million collected as ransom.
After evaluating the evidence and witness testimonies, the court found Halilu guilty of conspiracy, kidnapping, and murder under Kogi State’s anti-kidnapping law.
He was subsequently sentenced to death by hanging.
