Kogi Court sentences man to death for kidnapping and murder.

By Soni Daniel

A High Court in Kogi State has sentenced Jibrin Halilu to death after finding him guilty of conspiracy and kidnapping in connection with the abduction and murder of a hotel owner in Obajana.

The ruling came less than 24 hours after a Katsina State court imposed a death penalty on a woman convicted of arms trafficking. It also follows a recent Federal High Court decision in Abuja that convicted individuals linked to the 2022 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State.

Justice Abdul Nicodemus Awulu delivered the judgment on Tuesday, stating that the prosecution had proven its case against Halilu under Sections 12, 6(1), and 4(3)(a) of the Kogi State Kidnapping and Other Related Offences Prohibition Law, 2023, and accordingly imposed the death sentence.

According to the court, the case stemmed from the March 23, 2023 abduction of Uche Andrew Offo, proprietor of Everready Hotel in Angwa‑Tiv, Obajana. Prosecutors alleged that Offo was taken by an armed gang, a ransom was paid by his family, and he was later killed despite the payment.

The prosecution also reported that Halilu was arrested by Department of State Services (DSS) operatives on December 4, 2025, following investigations into the incident.

Evidence presented linked Halilu to another kidnapping in April 2023 involving a resident of Oshokoshoko Community in Lokoja, according to the prosecution.

Meanwhile, the Federal High Court in Abuja convicted and sentenced four men for their roles in the June 5, 2022 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, an event that caused multiple deaths and injuries.

The DSS described the convictions as part of ongoing efforts by law enforcement and the judiciary to tackle serious crimes—including kidnapping, terrorism, and violent offences—through thorough investigation and prosecution in accordance with the law.

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