In Imo State, the High Court has set 16 December 2026 as the date for delivering judgment in the trial of three men accused of abducting 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members en route to orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states.
The defendants—Usman Aliyu, Babangida Aliyu and Mohammed Ali—are being tried under suit number HOU/22C/2026 before Justice Emeka Orafu. The judge announced the judgment date on Friday, 6 November 2026 after the defence closed its case following the testimony of the third defence witness, Mohammed Ali.
Justice Orafu praised the lawyers from both sides for their conduct during the proceedings. He ordered the defence to file its written address within seven days, starting Saturday, 7 November, and gave the prosecution five days from Saturday, 14 November, to submit its response. The court adjourned the matter until 24 November for the parties to adopt their final addresses and then fixed 16 December for the delivery of judgment.
Mohammed Ali, a cattle rearer from Kogi State who works in Kara, Aba, testified that he had no knowledge of the alleged abduction. He said he was arrested by Department of State Services (DSS) operatives while sitting in Kara, taken to Owerri, and detained. He also stated that he did not know the other defendants.
During cross‑examination by the Director of Public Prosecution, Mr Martins Udolwu, Ali revealed that he had lived in Aba for about two years and identified himself as a herdsman. He denied entering forests, explained that he had two boys who took cattle out to graze in the morning and returned them in the evening, and admitted knowing the first defence witness but not the second.
When asked about an earlier claim that he had been beaten before an audio‑visual recording was made, Ali laughed and clarified that DSS operatives had attempted to beat him but did not actually do so before the recording of his confessional statement. He said he had made one statement and completed a form in the presence of his lawyer.
<small>Source: Daily Post Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>
