The Department of State Services (DSS) has arraigned five suspects over the alleged kidnapping of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members who were travelling along the Owerri-Onitsha road to their orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states.
The defendants appeared before a court presided over by Justice Emeka Orafu, where they pleaded not guilty to the allegations brought against them.
The charges against the suspects include abduction, hostage-taking, conspiracy, the alleged collection of ransom amounting to N48 million and foreign currency, and unlawful possession of firearms.
Following their pleas, counsel to the state, Ekezie Nwauzo, applied for the defendants to remain in the custody of the DSS pending further proceedings. The court granted the application.
Five suspects face charges
Three of the defendants, identified as Usman Aliyu, Babangida Aliyu and Mohammed Ali, were accused of involvement in the abduction and hostage-taking of corps members, the collection of ransom and illegal possession of firearms.
They pleaded not guilty to the three-count charge presented against them.
The other two defendants, Aminu Alihu and Dangi Abraham, were charged separately with conspiracy, hostage-taking and unlawful possession of firearms. They equally denied the allegations.
According to the charges, the defendants allegedly abducted Winner Ogidi, Opara Timothy, Ogechi Henrietta and another individual on October 4, 2026.
The allegations form part of the legal proceedings arising from reported kidnapping incidents involving individuals travelling along the Owerri-Onitsha road.
However, the defendants’ pleas mean that the allegations remain matters for determination by the court. Their appearance and arraignment do not, in themselves, establish guilt.
DSS seeks continued detention
During the proceedings, Nwauzo, who represented the state, requested that the defendants remain in DSS custody while the cases progressed.
Justice Orafu granted the request, allowing the suspects to remain in the agency’s custody pending further proceedings.
The court’s decision followed the defendants’ appearance and their formal responses to the charges.
Nnaemeka Adipuo represented the first and second defendants in the case concerning the alleged abduction of corps members, while Paschal Ofoma appeared for the third defendant.
The defence lawyers subsequently spoke to journalists after the court session, emphasising the legal principle that every accused person is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Their position underscores the need for the allegations to be examined through the judicial process before any determination of criminal responsibility is made.
The defendants have denied the charges against them, and the cases are expected to proceed as scheduled.
Court fixes dates for further proceedings
Following the arraignment, the court adjourned the matters to October 22 and October 27, 28 and 29 for further hearings.
The scheduled dates will provide opportunities for the cases to proceed in accordance with the court’s directions.
The next stages of the proceedings are expected to focus on the allegations contained in the charges and the legal processes required to determine the matters.
The court has yet to reach a final determination on the accusations against the defendants.
How the NYSC abduction case emerged
The arraignment comes after reports that approximately 20 NYSC corps members were abducted on October 1, 2026, while travelling along the Owerri-Onitsha road.
The corps members were reportedly on their way to orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states as they prepared to begin the mandatory national service programme.
The incident raised concerns about the safety of young Nigerians travelling to fulfil their national service obligations, particularly those moving between states to attend orientation exercises.
The journey to an orientation camp is an important stage of the NYSC programme, bringing together graduates from different parts of the country for registration, training and other activities before their deployment for national service.
The reported abduction disrupted the affected corps members’ journey and left their families awaiting news about their safety.
After spending approximately six days in captivity, the victims were reportedly released and later reunited with their families.
Their release brought an end to the period of uncertainty surrounding their whereabouts, although the circumstances surrounding the incident subsequently became the subject of legal proceedings.
Defence insists on presumption of innocence
Speaking after the court session, defence counsel Adipuo and Ofoma reminded journalists that the suspects must be regarded as innocent unless the allegations against them are established in court.
The principle of presumption of innocence is a fundamental safeguard in criminal proceedings. It requires allegations to be tested through the legal process rather than treated as established facts before a court reaches its decision.
The defendants’ pleas of not guilty mean that they are contesting the charges and that the matters remain unresolved.
The prosecution will have to pursue the cases through the appropriate judicial procedures, while the defence lawyers will represent their clients’ interests throughout the proceedings.
With further hearings scheduled for October 22, 27, 28 and 29, attention will now turn to the next stage of the cases.
The proceedings are expected to clarify the legal issues surrounding the allegations as the court considers the matters before it.
For now, the five defendants remain subject to the ongoing judicial process, while the reported abduction of the corps members remains a significant part of the background to the cases.
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