Court Sentences Man To Death For Kidnap, Murder In Kogi

A High Court in Kogi State has sentenced a man to death after he was found guilty of kidnapping and murdering his neighbour.

The conviction was secured through prosecution by the Department of State Services, Department of State Services (DSS).

The judgment was delivered by Justice Abdul Nicodemus Awulu, who found the defendant, Jibrin Halilu, guilty of conspiracy and kidnapping under the Kogi State Kidnapping and Other Related Offences Prohibition Law, 2023.

The court then sentenced him to death.

According to reports, the incident happened on March 23, 2023, when Halilu and members of his gang attacked Everready Hotel in Angwa-Tiv, Obajana, and abducted the owner, Uche Andrew Offo.

The kidnappers reportedly demanded ₦2.5 million ransom, which was paid by the victim’s family, but the victim was still killed afterwards.

The DSS said Halilu was arrested on December 4, 2025, after investigations linked him to the crime.

In a related development, the court also sentenced a group of other convicted criminals to death over separate violent attacks that led to multiple deaths and injuries.

Authorities say the rulings are part of ongoing efforts to strengthen justice and deter violent crime across the country.