The trial of three individuals accused of abducting 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members on their way to orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states will conclude on December 16, 2026, according to an Imo State High Court.
The trial of Usman Aliyu, Babangida Aliyu, and Mohammed Ali is being presided over by Justice Emeka Orafu under case number HOU/22C/2026.
After the defence attorneys concluded their case following Mohammed Ali’s (DW3) testimony, the judge set the judgement date for Friday, November 6, 2026.
In his ruling, Justice Orafu praised the efforts of the solicitors on both sides, noting that their clients had responded admirably throughout the trial.
As of Saturday, November 7, he gave the defence seven days to submit their written address, and as of Saturday, November 14, the prosecution was given five days to respond.
The court set the date for judgement delivery at December 16 and delayed the action until November 24 to allow for the adoption of the parties’ final addresses.
While he was a livestock rearer in Kara, Aba, Mohammed Ali—the third defence witness—had previously informed the court that he was a native of Kogi State.
Mr. Paschal Oforma, the witness’s lawyer, presented evidence in which the witness denied knowing anything about the purported kidnapping. He claimed that while he was sitting in Kara, operatives of the DSS detained him and sent him to Owerri.
Ali insisted he was unaware of the other defendants when asked if he had anything else to say to the court.
The witness, who was being cross-examined by Mr. Martins Udolwu, the Director of Public Prosecution, stated that he had been in Aba for around two years and was a herdsman, but he denied ever setting foot in a forest.
He detailed how two of his sons would go out and graze the cattle first thing in the morning and bring them back later that day.
Ali said he occasionally saw the first defence witness at the mosque, so he knew who he was, but he insisted he didn’t know the second.
When the witness changed his story about being beaten before the video was recorded, everyone in the courtroom laughed. Prior to the filming of his confessional testimony, he clarified that DSS agents had threatened to beat him, but had not actually done so.
While answering the questions posed by the attorneys for the first and second defendants, Ali stated that he had made a single statement and filled out a form while accompanied by his attorney.