A Minna Chief Magistrate Court has remanded 46-year-old woman, Hadiza Mohammad, and one Usman Alhaji Umar in correctional custody for the kidnapping and murder of a victim, Musa Mohammad after collecting the sum of N2.1 million ransom.
The accused persons, arraigned before Chief Magistrate Hajiya Uma Mohammed, are alleged to have committed the crime on 30th of December, 2023.
According to the first information report (FIR), the accused persons were arraigned on four-count charge of criminal conspiracy, kidnapping, cattle rustling and culpable homicide.
According to the FIR marked MN/CR/01/2024, the charges are punishable under sections 3 (1) and 2 (2) of the kidnapping and cattle rustling law of Niger State 2016 and 221 of the penal code law.
The case was reported on the 30th of December, 2023 by Mohammad Mohammad of Sabon Gida Fulani camp, via Beji in Bosso local government of Niger state reported at the Zungeru divisional police command.
The FIR read in part, “You Hadiza Mohammad of Sabon Gari area of Wushishi Local Government criminally conspired with others, now at large while armed with guns invaded his house kidnapped his younger brother Alhaji Musa Mohammad and his wife Kande Mohammad to an unknown place and collected the sum of N2,100, 000 through Abubakar Mohammad as ransom. And instead you all went ahead and killed the said Alhaji Musa Mohammad, while Kande Mohammad managed to escaped from captivity.”
The police prosecutor, Inspector Bello Mohammed said Hadiza Mohammad was arrested in possession of a tecno mobile phone collected from the deceased victim.
However, the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges as read by the presiding Chief Magstrate Hajiya Uma Mohammed.
The prosecutor informed the court that it has no jurisdiction in one of the charges involving culpable homicide and objected to the bail of the two defendants, adding that “police will forward the case file to the state Ministry of Justice for Legal advice”.
While remanding the accused persons in correctional custody, the presiding Chief Magistrate directed the prosecutor to send the case file to the Ministry of Justice for legal advice within14 days and adjourned the case to 17 January for further hearing.