By Kayode Olabanji
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Three suspected kidnappers, Yahaya Yakubu 24, Hassan Saleh 42, and Hassan Ibrahim 26, have been dragged before an Akure Chief Magistrates’  Court sitting at Oke-Eda, by men of  the Department of the State Service (DSS), in Ondo state.

The accused were arraigned  before the presiding Magistrate, Mrs Victoria Bob-Manuel, on application on notice for remand brought by the DSS.

According to the prosecution, the accused were arrested at Utelu community, Owo, on December 24, 2018, at about 12:30pm, in connection with the rescued victims, while having in their possessions  illegal firearms.

The alleged offence was said to be contrary to Sections 3(1) (b), 5(1)  of the Ondo State Anti-kidnapping and Anti-abduction Laws of 2010 as amended.

The pleas of the accused were not taken, since there was no charge before the court.

Mr John Dada Joshua, representing the State, prayed the court to remand the three accused persons in the custody of the Department of State Service  for 100 days pending the completion of the investigation on the matter.

But lawyer for  the accused, Mr A. Y Ayilu, objected to the application made by the prosecutor on the ground that the application sought for an order of the court, “to legalise what is illegal.”

 “By bringing three persons before the court and asking the court to grant 100 days for investigation, is very wrong and illegal against the constitutional rights of the defendants,”he argued.

In her ruling, the Magistrate, Mrs Bob-Manuel, however,  discountenanced the argument of the lawyer for the accused.

But  she noted  that kidnaping has become  prevalent and a reoccurring decimal in Ondo State, and granted the application of the prosecutor.

She, therefore,  ordered the remand of the three accused persons in the custody of the DSS for 100 days pending the conclusion of the investigation.