A Police Corporal, Mbazigwe Chinedu Friday, and a bus conductor, Isaac Eddy Ndeesor, have been sentenced to death by hanging for the kidnapping of Elder Akara Johnson Mendie, Vice Principal of Community Secondary School, Nkek, in Ukanafun Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
The Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Uyo convicted the duo on charges of conspiracy, kidnapping, and unlawful possession of firearms.
The court heard that on July 5, 2015, at about 3:30 p.m., four armed men in a Toyota Camry blocked Mendie’s vehicle along Urua Akpan Udosen/Ikot Unah Road in Ukanafun as he was returning from church with his wife and family. The gunmen abducted him and fled with his wife’s handbag, which contained important documents and personal items.
Mendie told the court he was blindfolded and taken to an unknown location, where his captors demanded a ransom of N50 million and threatened to kill him. His family eventually paid N200,000 through his younger sister on July 10, 2015, after which he was released in Bori, Rivers State. He later reported the incident at the Bori Police Station and was assisted back to his community.
In his confessional statement, Friday, 41, attached to Mopol 57 in Ukana, Essien Udim LGA, admitted his involvement. He said he was contacted by a man identified as Felix, who introduced another accomplice known as “Different Man.” According to him, they claimed an unnamed “honourable” wanted the victim abducted over allegations that he had killed a friend.
Friday admitted using his Toyota Camry to block the victim’s vehicle, enabling his accomplices 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 a bush in Ogoni, Rivers State. He stated that the firearm used was not an official police weapon.
A search of his residence led to the recovery of a locally made revolver pistol, live ammunition, an empty AK-47 magazine, Indian hemp, CCTV equipment, multiple phones, ATM cards, SIM packs, and car accessories.
Ndeesor also confessed, admitting they trailed the victim from his residence and that he stole and used the victim’s phone, which ultimately led to his arrest after it was tracked.
Delivering judgment, Justice Nsemeke Daniel criticised the prolonged trial, noting that a case filed in 2016 was only concluded in 2026. He dismissed claims by the first defendant that he was framed, describing them as inconsistent.
The court held that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and sentenced both men to five years’ imprisonment for conspiracy, seven years for unlawful possession of firearms, and death by hanging for kidnapping, stating, “You shall be hanged by the neck until you be dead. May God have mercy on you.”
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