The Department of State Services has arraigned five persons before the Imo State High Court over the alleged abduction of 24 persons, including 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps members.
The defendants are standing trial for alleged conspiracy, hostage-taking and unlawful possession of firearms in two separate cases.
Three of the suspects; Usman Aliyu, 25, aka Chonge; Babangida Aliyu, 21 and Mohammed Ali, 23, aka Smallie Pepper, were accused of abducting the prospective corps members on Independence Day, October 1, 2026.
According to the charge sheet filed at the Imo State High Court, Oru Judicial Division, Mgbidi, the defendants and others still at large allegedly abducted the victims along the Owerri-Mgbidi-Onitsha Expressway.
The victims were travelling from Ibadan to orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom States when they were kidnapped. They were rescued after seven days.
The defendants were charged with conspiracy to commit hostage-taking, an offence punishable under Section 6 of the Imo State Prohibition of Hostage Taking and Related Offences Law No. 4 of 2009.
They were also accused of unlawfully possessing three AK-47 rifles, four magazines, a pistol and 81 rounds of live ammunition.
The DSS, in a statement on Tuesday, said, “Three of them, Usman Aliyu, 25, also known as Chonge; 21-year old Babangida Aliyu, and 23-year old Mohammed Ali aka Smallie Pepper, are specifically charged with the kidnapping of the prospective corps members.
“They were charged with conspiracy to commit hostage-taking punishable under Section 6 of the Imo State Prohibition of Hostage Taking and Related Offences Law No. 4 of 2009.
“The defendants are accused of unlawfully possessing three AK-47 rifles, four magazines, a pistol and eighty-one rounds of live ammunition.”
