A High Court in Imo State has ordered the accelerated trial of five suspects arraigned for the mass abduction of 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members on Independence Day. The presiding judge issued the directive on Thursday for a quick judicial conclusion of the case.
The presiding judge, Justice Emeka Orafu, set aside four consecutive days, running from October 27 to October 30, for the continuation of the trial. The judge appealed to both the prosecuting and defence counsels to fully cooperate with the court to ensure a final judgement is reached before January 2027.
The judicial proceedings involve three primary defendants facing charges for the abduction of the NYSC members, while two other suspects are being prosecuted for a separate kidnapping incident. Justice Orafu has ordered that all five defendants remain remanded in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) pending the next hearing.
During Thursday’s proceedings, a lead operative of the DSS, Ikem Emmanuel, testified extensively on the investigation that culminated in the arrest of the principal suspects. He disclosed to the court that the anti-kidnapping operation involved deep intelligence gathering, digital data analysis, record profiling, and interviews with the rescued victims.
The DSS operative revealed that the victims identified the defendants during a formal identification parade conducted by the secret police. Additionally, Emmanuel testified that one of the prime suspects, Usman Aliyu, confessed to his role in the criminal operation, disclosing that a total of 11 armed men executed the highway ambush.
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