A 70 year old farmer, Abdullahi Maikano has been remanded in Minna Correctional Centre on the order of the Senior Magistrate Court No 7 in Minna over alledged kidnapping.
Remanded along with him is Jibrin Garba 40 years, a farmer, from Maikunchi village of Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State.
They were standing trial on three count charges bordering criminal conspiracy, kidnaping and failure to give information to a public servant.
According to the Police prosecutor, Inspector Aliyu Yakubu, the count charges are punishable under sections 97, 273 and 138 of the penal law.
The prosecutor, told the court that on 17th June, 2020, one Umar Mohammed of Bangi in Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State, reported to the Bangi Divisional Police Command, that on the 13th of June, 2020, “you Abdullahi Maikano, Lawali Maikichi, now at large, both of Maikichi Village, via Mariga conspired with some vigilante group from Gaguari Village in Birni Gwari Local Government of Kaduna State now at large, kidnapped his father Mohamed Tsohon Soja, of the same address without just course to unknown destination and till date his whereabout either death or alive is not yet known.
During police investigation, “it was revealed that you Abdullahi Maikano, and Lawali Maikichi Garba, dishonestly failed to disclose his whereabout to the public servant”.
When the police first information report was read to them by the Presiding senior Magistrate Hajiya Hadiza Hamza, they both pleaded not guilty to the charges.
At this point, the senior Magistrate said the court has no jurisdiction to try the case as she was only holding a brief of the pre-trial of the case pending a legal advice from the office of Director of Public Prosecution ( DPP), in the state Ministry of Justice.
She then directed the police prosecutor to duplicate the case file to the office of the DPP for legal advice.
She ordered for their remand in Minna Correctional Custody and adjougned the case to 13 of July, further mention.
