Man arraigned over ‘kidnap’ of cousin

A Kaduna State High Court in Dogarawa, Zaria has arraigned one Abubakar Haliru of Magume alongside Nuhu Ibrahim and Rashidu Ibrahim over the alleged kidnapping of one Hajiya Binta Mohammed.

Daily Trust reports that in October 2021, the Police Headquarters in Abuja had paraded 48 suspects for kidnapping, homicide and other offences.

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Among the suspect was Abubakar Haliru who had planned the kidnap of his cousin, Binta Mohammed, 48, following his inability to pay back a loan he took from her to expand his farming business.

Halliru who was allegedly granted bail on medical grounds was rearrested and remanded in the custodial centre following protests by residents of Magume community in Zaria.

However, at his re-arraignment on Wednesday, prosecution Counsel, Tanko Mohammed, told the court that only the first defendant, (Abubakar Haliru) was in court while Nuhu Ibrahim and Rashidu Ibrahim were at large.

According to the charge, Haliru’s offence contravenes section 246 of Penal Code Law of Kaduna state.

However, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge and the prosecution counsel applied for a date to present witnesses.

The prosecuting counsel however told the court that investigations into the case have been completed and they were ready for trial, stressing that they have four witnesses to call.

Counsel for the defendant, Mr Isa Shuaibu, told the court that he had a pending bail application but the presiding judge, Justice Kabir Dabo, said the court cannot grant such application until he assesses the trend of evidence and trend of the trial.

He, therefore, granted an accelerated hearing of the case and adjourned the matter to January 24 and 25 for hearing.

Dabo also directed officers of the Nigerian Correctional Service to take the defendant to a health facility for better medical attention.