The arraignment of four suspects who were detained in connection with the 2021 abduction of University of Abuja lecturers and their children is set to take place on May 13 at a Federal High Court in Abuja.
On November 2, 2021, gunmen broke into the University of Abuja’s Senior Staff Quarters in the Federal Capital Territory’s Gwagwalada Area Council, Abuja, and kidnapped six professors in all.
It was reported that the more than twenty gunmen had entered the compound by gunfire and quickly taken their victims.The kidnapped victims were Bassey Ubom (including his son and daughter), Prof Joseph Adavani; Dr Ferguson Tobins; Mohammed Sambo; Offiong Ubom; John Obansa and Fidelis Obansa.
The court was on vacation, so the arraignment of the kidnappers, which was scheduled for Monday, could not proceed.
Judge Donatus Okorowo is the one hearing this case; it was postponed until May 13.
Adamu Abubakar, Nura Muhammad Ahmadu, Ismailia Abubakar, and Abdulrahman Ado, popularly known as Yellow, are the defendants in this case.
The Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation on behalf of the Federal Government filed two terrorism-related charges against the defendants.
Professor Joseph Adavani, Dr. Ferguson Tobins, Mohammed Sambo, Offiong Ubom, John Obansa, and Fidelis Obansa were accused by the defendants and others at large of plotting to kidnap them from their homes at the University of Abuja Staff Quarters, Giri, Gwagwalada Area Council, Abuja, and hold them captive for three days in the coercive forest environment. The defendants demanded a ransom of N300 million to release the professors.
It was claimed that they had broken Section 17 of the 2013 Terrorism (Prevention)(Amendment) Act.
The other count read, “That you Adamu Abubakar, male, adult of Adamu Fulani House, behind Abattoir, Gwagwalada Area Council, FCT, Abuja; Nura Muhammed Ahmadu, male, adult of No. 3 Alhaji Rabiu Shop, Minna Main Market, Minna, Niger State; Ismailia Abubakar, male, adult of Adavi Village, Obajana LGA, Kogi State; Abdulrahman Ado (a.k.a YELLOW), male, adult of Dikko, along Kaduna Road, and others now at large on or about November 2, 2021, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court knowingly took hostage of Professor Joseph Sumaila Adavani; Dr Ferguson Tobins; Mohammed Sambo; Offiong Bassey Ubom; John Obansa and Fidelis Obansa from their homes at the University of Abuja Staff Quarters, Giri, Gwagwalada Area Council, Abuja and took them into captivity in the coercive environment of the forest for three days and demanded a ransom of N300m for their release.
“You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 of the Terrorism (Prevention)(Amendment) Act 2013.”
