An Ekiti State High Court has sentenced a 25-year-old man to life imprisonment for kidnapping the Monarch of Ekiti, Oba Adeniran Benjamin Omotayo.
The 25-year-old man, Gabriel Emmanuel, was arraigned on March 8, 2023, on three charges: Murder, kidnapping, and demanding property with menace with intent to steal.
The charge stated: “That Gabriel Emmanuel and others at large, on 13 September 2020, at Umesi Quarters, Igirigiri Road, Odo-Ado Ekiti, did murder one Jejelowo Fesobi David.
“That on June 24, 2020, at Eda-Ile Ekiti, the defendant did kidnap the Eleda of Eda-Ile, Oba Adeniran Benjamin Omotayo.
“That on November 20, 2021, the defendant and others at large at Ilumoba Ekiti did demand the sum of N4m with menace, with intent to steal, from one Barrister Joseph Olorunfemi.
“The offences are contrary to Sections 319(1) and 316 of the Criminal Code Law, Cap. C16, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012, and Section 3 of the Ekiti State Kidnap and Terrorism (Prohibition) Law, 2015,” the charge read.
In his statement to the police, Oba Adeniran recounted how he was kidnapped while on his farm.
“Suddenly, I saw some men, all armed with AK-47 rifles. Before I knew what was happening, one of them pointed a gun at me, and I was kidnapped. My wife, who was with me at the time, was released and instructed to go and look for money, or else they would kill me,” the traditional ruler narrated.
“I was held captive for four days before one of my brothers brought a ransom of N1.28m, after which I was released. While I was with them, they used my wife’s phone to contact my relatives. At one point, the phone battery went flat, so they called someone from town, who brought a charged battery. I could not see his face because he was masked, but I was able to recognize the kidnappers because they removed their masks whenever they wanted to smoke.
“Upon my release, I went to the Rapid Response Squad office of the Nigeria Police in Ado Ekiti to make a formal report.”
