BENIN CITY — Four people have been sentenced to death by the Edo State Special Criminal Court for their roles in the kidnapping of a woman at the Vegetable Market along Airport Road, Benin City.
Justice Aigbona Momodu delivered the judgment on Tuesday in what was the court’s first kidnapping judgment since its establishment.
The convicts — Marvellous Isaac, Wisdom Michael, Rufus Emete Michael and Gift Raphael — were tried on an 11-count charge involving kidnapping, conspiracy, armed robbery, cultism and unlawful possession of firearms.
The case followed the June 14, 2026 abduction of a woman at the Vegetable Market. The incident reportedly happened in broad daylight and was later confirmed by the Edo State Police Command.
Court imposes multiple sentences
The court imposed death sentences on the defendants on several counts. Some of the convicts also received additional prison terms on other charges.
The judge also ordered the confiscation of exhibits tendered during the trial and directed that they be handed over to the police for destruction.
First kidnapping judgment by special court
The Edo State Special Criminal Court began operations on July 1, 2026, with a mandate to handle kidnapping and cultism-related cases and speed up the prosecution of serious crimes.
The judgment therefore marks an important early test of the state’s specialised approach to prosecuting kidnapping cases.
MONAFRIKA SECURITY WATCH: The case highlights Edo State’s use of a dedicated court to handle serious crime cases. The convicted persons remain subject to any further legal process available to them under Nigerian law.
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