DSS Arraigns Five Suspects Over Kidnap of 24 Persons in Imo
…Three accused of abducting 20 prospective corps members on Independence Day
From Everest Ezihe, Owerri
The Department of State Services (DSS) on Tuesday arraigned five persons before the Imo State High Court premises, Owerri over two separate kidnapping incidents involving 24 victims in the State.
The proceedings were presided over by Justice Emeka Orafo of the Mgbidi Judicial Division.
Three of the defendants were accused of kidnapping 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members on October 1, 2026, Nigeria’s Independence Day, while the other two were accused of abducting four persons four days later along the ever busy expressed road route.
The five defendants are facing charges bordering on conspiracy, hostage-taking and unlawful possession of firearms. They all pleaded not guilty to the three-count criminal charges.
The defendants reportedly appeared in court wearing white Hausa-Fulani traditional attire.
The three defendants specifically accused of abducting the prospective corps members are Usman Aliyu, 25, also known as Chongo; Babangida Aliyu, 21; and Mohammed Ali, 23, popularly known as Smallie Pepper.
The DSS prosecution accused the trio and other persons still at large of conspiring to abduct the victims along the ever busy Owerri–Mgbidi–Onitsha Expressway on Independence Day.
The victims were reportedly travelling from Ibadan to their respective NYSC orientation camps in Abia and Cross River states when they were abducted. They were subsequently rescued after seven days in captivity.
According to the charge sheet filed before the Imo State High Court, Oru Judicial Division, Mgbidi, the defendants were accused of conspiracy to commit hostage-taking, an offence punishable under Section 6 of the Imo State Prohibition of Hostage Taking and Related Offences Law No. 4 of 2009.
They were also accused of unlawful possession of three AK-47 rifles, four magazines, a pistol and 81 rounds of live ammunition.
In a related case, two other defendants, Aminu Haliru, 27, and Tange Ibrahim, 20, also known as Jijji, were accused of abducting four persons around Owerri and Mgbidi on October 4, 2026.
The prosecution alleged that Haliru, Ibrahim and other accomplices still at large collected ₦8 million as ransom for the release of the four victims.
They were also accused of unlawfully possessing an AK-47 rifle and a pump-action gun.
The prosecution reportedly listed ₦1.8 million as money recovered in connection with the second case. Meanwhile, a DSS investigator and the victims were listed as witnesses in both cases.
Following the arraignment, the court granted the prosecution’s application for the defendants to remain in DSS custody and ordered an accelerated hearing of the cases.
The court reportedly scheduled further proceedings to commence on Thursday, October 22, 2026, with additional dates fixed for October 27 to October 31, 2026.
