An Adamawa State High Court on Thursday sentenced three men to death for the kidnapping of two Catholic priests in February 2025.
Justice Christopher Mapeo found Taledo Demiel, Namomai Medan and Mikaila Yusuf guilty of criminal conspiracy to commit kidnapping, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, armed robbery, harbouring a kidnapped person, and negotiating to receive ransom for the release of Reverend Fathers Matthew Dutsemi and Abraham Sauman.
The judge accordingly sentenced the three men to death for kidnapping, armed robbery and other offences.
Thursday’s judgment brings to seven the number of death sentences secured by the Department of State Services, DSS, in 2026.
On May 20, an Ekiti State High Court sentenced Ibrahim Abubakar and Abdullahi Abubakar to death by hanging for kidnapping.
Two weeks later, on June 3, a Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced four men — Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Alqasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik and Abdulkareem Idris — to death by hanging over the June 2022 massacre of scores of worshippers at St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State.
On June 15, a Katsina State High Court sentenced a female arms courier, Hauwa’u Mukhtar, to death by hanging. The following day, a Kogi State High Court sentenced Jibrin Halilu to death by hanging for kidnapping and murdering his neighbour in Obajana, an industrial town in the state.
On June 22, a Sokoto State High Court sentenced Muhammed Yusuf Sallau, Jabbi Ahlaji Yale and Kabiru Muhammed to death by hanging for terrorism and transporting arms.
And on September 28, another Sokoto State High Court sentenced Ibrahim Usman, also known as Dan Iyali, to death by hanging over his involvement in the killing of three kidnapped persons in the state.
Crediblenewsng.com
