KINGSLEY EBERE
A 28-year old man, Emmanuel Bernard, has been arrested and charged in Lagos State for allegedly conspiring and kidnapping a woman, Happiness Chiamaka and keeping her in captivity for N.3m ransom.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened on 5th March,2025 at Yidi Street, İyana Ishasi area of Lagos.
According to the Police, the suspect and others now at large kidnapped the victim and kept her in captivity. They then contacted her family to pay the ransom before she was eventually released.
However, the matter was reported to the Police at Commissioner of Police Special Squad. The operatives moved into action, eventually arrested the suspect and detained him at the Command for interrogation over his alleged conduct.
After interrogation, the Police found him culpable and charged him before the Ogba Magistrate Court for the alleged offence, which attracts several years of imprisonment.
The charge read:
“That you, Emmanuel Benard ‘m’ and others still at large on the 5th day of March, 2025 at about 1130hrs at Yidi Street, İyana Ishasi area of Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit: kidnapping and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.”
COUNT II:”That you, Emmanuel Benard ‘m’ and others now at large on the same date, time and place, in the aforesaid Magisterial District, did kidnap one Happiness Chiamaka ‘ into a house at Yidi Street, Iyana Isasi, Lagos and collected cash sum of Three hundred thousand Naira 300,000.00) as ransom before you people release her from the captivity thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 1(1)(3) of criminal law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.”
However, the Court did not take his plea following a motion moved by the prosecutor, Supol Akeem Raji, asking the Court to refer the matter to the DPP for legal advice.
The Presiding Magistrate, Mrs O. Kusanu, ordered his remand in custody at the correctional center at Kirikiri town, Lagos, pending the outcome of the DPP’s advice and directed the prosecutor to duplicate the file and send it to the DPP for legal advice.
The matter was adjourned for mention for the report of the DPP’s advice to be available, which will determine if the matter will be transferred to the High Court or not over jurisdiction.