From Maduabuchi Nmeribeh, Kano
A Kano State High Court, presided over by Justice Dije Aboki has ordered for the arrest of a principal suspect, Amina Ibrahim alias Gara and two others, Zainab Salisu and Umar Aliyu in connection with the abduction of over 10 children from the state, which was bursted by agents of the Department of State Service (DSS) and the police over a year ago.
The three suspects were out of 10 suspects sued to court by the state government on a two-count charge of conspiracy and kidnapping.
Justice Aboki who issued the arrest warrant of the three suspects, for failure to appear before the court, acted upon the submittion of the Prosecution Counsel, Tijjani Ibrahim, that he could not explain why the defendants were not in the court.
He however applied for separate trial of the seven other defendants present in the court to continue with the arraignment and for reading of the charges to the defendant.
The court granted the prosecution counsel’s application but suffered a set back as it could not continue with the arraignment as one of the defendants (Christiana Uju – 10th defendant) could not understand English language in which the plea will be read to her.
The Presiding Judge, Justice Aboki adjourned the matter till 25th November, 2020 to get a credible and neutral interpreter to interprete the plea to the 10th defendant and entertain the arraignment.
The two count charges and offences contravenes Section 97 and 273 of the penal code of Kano State.
The suspects include Zainab Salisu (1st defendant), Umar Aliyu (2nd defendant), Yahaya Salisu (3rd defendant), Mustapha Rabiu and Ibrahim Aliyu as 4th and 5th defendants respectively.
Others are Abubakar Salisu (6th defendant), Fatima Salisu (7th defendant), Amina Ibrahim aka Gara (8th defendant, Tessy Chukwu and Christiana Uju as 9th and 10th defendant respectively
The AUTHORITY recalls that In pursuance of the rights of the rescued 10 kids, who were allegedly kidnapped and later found in far away Anambra state, the Kano state Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje had inaugurated a Commission of Inquiry, under the chairmanship of Retired Justice Wada Umar on 31 October, 2019.
Parts of the Terms of Reference given to the Commission include “To conduct an inquiry into cases of missing persons in Kano State from the year 2010 to date and to procure all such evidence, written or oral, and to examine all such persons as witnesses as the commissioners may think it necessary or desirable to procure or examine.”
Terms of Reference paved way for the Commision “To summon any person in Nigeria to attend any meeting of the commissioners to give evidence or produce any document or other thing in his possession and to require the evidence (whether written or oral) of any witness to be made on oath or declaration, such oath or declaration.”
Other Terms include issues like “To admit or exclude the public or any member of the public or press from any hearing of the commission, to prepare comprehensive data of missing persons in Kano State within the period and circumstances in which they disappeared,
To find out both immediate and remote causes of cases of missing persons and to prepare and submit a written report including findings and recommendations to the Government of Kano State.”
The Commission completed its assignment and part of its recommendation include that the suspects be tried by a Court of competent jurisdiction.
