Three accused persons, arrested by the police in connection with the kidnap and killing of a farm owner in Ibadan, Mr Oluwole Agboola, have been remanded in prison by a magistrate at Iyaganku, Ibadan, Oyo State, pending a legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).
The accused persons are Dahiru Usman (34) Muhammadu Ahmadu (32) and Ibrahim Mamuda (20).
They were docked on Tuesday, March 2, 2021 at Court 9, Iyaganku, before Magistrate M. A. Amole-Ajimotu.
In a charge sheet with number MI/173C/2021, signed by the Commander of Monitoring Unit, Oyo State Police Command, CSP Olusola Aremu, the docked persons were accused of conspiring with others to kidnap and kill Mr Agboola in Ibadan, after collecting ransom of N1.65million.
In the three-count charge in the case between the state Commissioner of Police and Dahiru Usman, Muhammadu Ahmadu and Ibrahim Mamuda, they were charged with conspiracy, kidnapping and murder.
In the first count, the charge read: That you Dahiru Usman, Muhammadu Ahmadu and Ibrahim Mamuda, with others at large, on December 28, 2020, at about 1:30p.m., at Adegbade Village, Akinyele area, Ibadan, in Ibadan Magisterial District, did conspire together to commit felony to wit kidnapping, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 516 of Criminal Code Cap 38 Vol. II Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria 2000.”
In count two, it was said that the accused persons, with others at large, on the same date, time and place in the above magisterial district, “while armed with Ak-47 rifles, classes and other dangerous weapons, did unlawfully kidnap Mr Oluwole Agboola and also collected a ransom of N1,650,000.00 only from his brother, Olakunle Agboola while in your captivity, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 2 and punishable under Section 4 (2) of the Oyo State kidnapping (Prohibition) Law, 2916.”
The third count read that the three accused persons “and others at large did unlawfully kill/cause the death of one Mr Oluwole Agboola, aged 48 years, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 316 (3) and punishable under section 319 (1) of the Criminal Code Cap 38 Vol. II Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria 2000.”
After the charge was read to the accused, the magistrate sitting over the case, Mrs Amole-Ajimotu ordered that accused be remanded at Abolongo Correctional Centre in Oyo.
She adjourned the case till May 26, pending the legal advice.
It will be recalled that the late victim was kidnapped on December 28, 2020 after the kidnap syndicate, armed with AK-47 rifles, invaded his farm at Adegbade Village, via Aba Odo area in Akinyele Local Government Area.
The following day, the kidnappers had demanded N50million as ransom, for their captive to be set free.
After negotiations, the family paid N1.65million as ransom, only to learn that Agboola had been killed.
His decomposing body was found on January 10, 2021 by the police after extensive and intelligence-based investigation and arrest of the three docked accused persons.
