By John Ugo
The police in Edo state have said that the arraignment of eight suspects involved in the attack and kidnap of passengers in the Igueben train station which happened two weeks ago was to get an exparte order for more investigation and not the beginning of their trial as being reported.
The Police Public relations Officer of the Edo State Police Command, SP Chidi Nwabuzor who spoke while reacting to the reports on the trial said “The appearance of the suspects in court was not for court trial but for the extension of exparte order.
He said, “It is an order of court that enables the police investigators to extend the detention of suspect(s) for a period of 14 days to enable them to meet up with exigencies”
Recall that the police last Wednesday said two village chiefs and five others were arrested in connection with the crime.
In a court document signed by I. E. Ekibade Esq of the Legal Section, State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Police Headquarters, Benin City which was sighted on Sunday identified the suspects Ibadin Hamilton, Ighoko Odion, Okojie Ewa, Okie Patrick, Friday Ighedujiemu, Halilu Umaru, Aminu Ibrahim, and Isah Aliyu and accused them of criminal conspiracy and kidnapping.
A cording to the document, Odion, 62, Ewa, 58, Patrick, 42, Ighedujiemu, 51, Hamilton, 59, Umaru, 28, Ibrahim, 25, and Aliyu, 25, all male, conspired to kidnap the victims with the expectation of getting N20 million each from their relatives as ransom for their freedom.
Count one reads, “That you Ighoko Odion, Okojie Ewa, Okie Patrick, Friday Ighedujiemu, Ibadin Hamilton, Halilu Umaru, Aminu Ibrahim, Isah Aliyu, and others now at large, on or about the 16th day of January, 2023 at about 12:00 hours at the Nigerian Railway Station, Igueben, Edo State, in the Benn Judicial Division, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit: Kidnapping and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 5 and punishable under Section 2 (1) (2) of the Kidnapping Prohibition (Amendment) Law of Edo State, 2013.”
Count two reads, “That you Ighoko Odion, Okojie Ewa, Okie Patrick, Friday Ighedujiemu, Ibadin Hamilton, Halilu Umaru, Aminu Ibrahim, Isah Aliyu, and others now at large, on or about the 16th day of January, 2023 at about 12:00 hours at the Nigerian Railway Station, Igueben, Edo State, in the Benn Judicial Division, while armed with guns and other dangerous weapon, did attack and kidnapped passengers inside the train to an unknown destination till now with intent to receive ransom payment of N20,000,000.00 before release from your captivity and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 2 (1), (2) of the kidnapping Prohibition (Amendment) Law of Edo State, 2013.”
