Court Sentences Kogi Kidnap Suspect to Death After DSS Prosecution

A High Court of Kogi State has sentenced a man, Jibrin Halilu to death for kidnapping and killing his neighbour, Uche Andrew Offo, a hotel proprietor in Obajana.

The judgement was given barely 24 hours after a female arms courier arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) was sentenced to death by a Katsina State High Court, it was reported.

It also came on the heels of the recent judgement of a Federal High Court in Abuja sentencing four men to death for their roles in the terrorist attack of St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State on June 5, 2022.

Halilu was convicted of conspiracy and kidnapping by the Kogi court presided over by Justice Abdul Nicodemus Awulu.

The alleged offences are contrary to Sections 12, 6(1) and 4(3)(a) of the Kogi State Kidnapping and Other Related Offences Prohibition Law, 2023.

Halilu was convicted and sentenced to death by the court.

The prosecution alleged that Halilu and members of his armed gang stormed Everready Hotel at Angwa-Tiv, Obajana on March 23, 2023 and kidnapped the proprietor, Offo.

Offo was killed even after the victim’s family paid the ₦2.5 million ransom demanded by the abductors.

A security source told TVC that DSS probes found the victim knew Halilu, his neighbour, while he was in captivity.

“Meanwhile, investigation by DSS revealed that Offo who is in the custody of his abductors was able to identify Halilu who is his neighbour as one of his kidnappers. That was when Halilu, despite the ₦2.5m ransom he collected from the family of Offo, still killed him, the source said.

The DSS prosecutor told the court that Halilu was arrested by operatives of the service on the 4th of December 2025.

Further investigation by the DSS also linked Halilu and his gang to another kidnapping in Lokoja.

“More findings by the DSS further linked Halilu and his gang to the kidnap of one Ibrahim Abdullahi, a resident of Oshokoshoko Community in Lokoja, on April 2, 2023, where the gang collected a ransom of ₦5 million,” the source said.

The Kogi conviction comes on the heels of the June 3, 2026 ruling of a Federal High Court in Abuja that sentenced four men to death for the Owo church attack.

Those convicted are Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik and Abdulhaleem Idris.

The attack killed over 40 worshippers and left over 100 others injured.

The recent convictions were a big boost for the DSS in the prosecution of terrorism, kidnapping and violent crime cases, a source said.

“These convictions are one of the biggest strings of courtroom victories for the DSS and send a message that those who go in for terrorism, kidnapping and armed violence will not only be caught but will be prosecuted and made to face the full brunt of their actions,” the source said.