Police Corporal, Bus Conductor Get Death Sentence for Kidnapping in Akwa Ibom

Court Gavel

Police Corporal, Bus Conductor Get Death Sentence for Kidnapping in Akwa Ibom

A Police Corporal and a bus conductor have been sentenced to death by hanging by an Akwa Ibom State High Court for their roles in the kidnapping of a school vice principal, delivering a strong message against violent crimes in the region. The court also imposed long prison terms on related charges after finding the evidence against the accused overwhelming.

The accused — Police Corporal Mbazigwe Chinedu Friday and bus conductor Isaac Eddy Ndeesor — were convicted on charges of conspiracy, kidnapping, and unlawful possession of firearms over the abduction of Elder Akara Johnson Mendie, the Vice Principal of Community Secondary School, Nkek, in Ukanafun Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

The court heard that on July 5, 2015, at around 3:30 p.m., four armed men driving a Toyota Camry blocked Mendie’s vehicle along Urua Akpan Udosen/Ikot Unah Road as he was returning from church with his wife and family. The gunmen abducted Mendie and fled the scene, taking his wife’s handbag containing personal items and important documents. Mendie told the court that he was blindfolded and taken to an undisclosed location, where the kidnappers demanded a ransom of N50 million and threatened to kill him. After five days in captivity, his family paid N200,000 through his younger sister on July 10, 2015, which led to his release in Bori, Rivers State. He later reported the abduction at Bori Police Station and returned to his community with police assistance.

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In a confessional statement, Corporal Friday, 41, attached to Mopol 57 in Ukana, Essien Udim LGA, admitted his involvement. He told investigators he was contacted by a man identified as Felix, who introduced another accomplice known as “Different Man.” Friday claimed they were led to believe an unnamed “honourable” wanted the victim kidnapped over allegations that he had killed a friend — a claim the court later rejected. Friday admitted using his Toyota Camry to block Mendie’s vehicle, enabling the gunmen to force the victim into the car. When the vehicle developed a fault, he switched to another car and continued the operation, transporting the victim to bushland in Ogoni, Rivers State. He also stated that the firearm used was not an official police weapon. A search of his residence recovered a locally made revolver, live ammunition, an empty AK‑47 magazine, Indian hemp, CCTV equipment, multiple mobile phones, ATM cards, SIM packs, and car accessories.

Isaac Eddy Ndeesor, the bus conductor, also confessed, admitting he and others trailed the victim from his residence and that he stole and used the victim’s phone, which was later tracked and directly led to his arrest.

Delivering judgment, Justice Nsemeke Daniel criticised the lengthy trial, noting that although the case was filed in 2016, it was only concluded in 2026. He dismissed claims by Corporal Friday that he was framed, describing those assertions as inconsistent with the evidence presented.

The court ruled that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, sentencing both defendants to death by hanging for kidnapping, five years’ imprisonment for conspiracy, and seven years for unlawful possession of firearms. The judge pronounced: “You shall be hanged by the neck until you be dead. May God have mercy on you.”

The death sentences highlight the judiciary’s firm stance against kidnapping, a crime that has terrorized communities across Nigeria. The involvement of a serving police officer intensifies calls for internal reform and stronger oversight within security agencies. Authorities have welcomed the judgment, describing it as a critical step toward deterring similar crimes and reinforcing public confidence in the justice system, while also drawing attention to systemic delays in Nigeria’s criminal justice process.