DSS arraigns 5 suspects in Imo over abduction of 20 PCMs

The Department of State Services (DSS) has arraigned five suspected kidnappers before the Imo State High Court over the abduction of 24 persons, including 20 prospective members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

The defendants are facing trial in two separate cases on conspiracy, hostage-taking, and unlawful possession of firearms.

In the first suit, the DSS arraigned 25-year-old Usman Aliyu, 21-year-old Babangida Aliyu, and 23-year-old Mohammed Ali for abducting the prospective corps members on Independence Day.

The victims were intercepted along the Owerri-Mgbidi-Onitsha Expressway while travelling from Ibadan to orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states.

The abducted youths were rescued after seven days in captivity. Following investigations, the suspects were charged under Section 6 of the Imo State Prohibition of Hostage Taking and Related Offences Law No. 4 of 2009.
According to a statement released by the

DSS on Tuesday, operatives recovered a cache of arms from the syndicate after their arrest.

“The defendants were accused of unlawfully possessing three AK-47 rifles, four magazines, a pistol and eighty-one rounds of live ammunition,” the statement read in part.

In a separate arraignment, the DSS brought 27-year-old Aminu Haliru and 20-year-old Tange Ibrahim before the court over the abduction of four persons around the Owerri and Mgbidi axis on October 4. The prosecution revealed that the syndicate collected an N8 million ransom before the release of the victims.

During the arrests, operatives recovered N1.8 million of the ransom money, an AK-47 rifle, and a pump-action gun from the second gang. A DSS investigator and the rescued victims have been listed as principal witnesses as court proceedings continue.