Police Corporal, Accomplice Get Death for Kidnapping
A police corporal, Mbazigwe Chinedu Friday, and a bus conductor, Isaac Eddy Ndeesor, have been sentenced to death by hanging by the Akwa Ibom State High Court in Nigeria for the kidnap of Elder Akara Johnson Mendie.
The Akwa Ibom State High Court, sitting in Uyo, sentenced the two convicts to death for conspiracy, kidnapping, and unlawful possession of firearms. The incident occurred on July 5, 2015, when four armed men in a Toyota Camry blocked Mendie's vehicle as he returned from church with his wife and family along Urua Akpan Udosen/Ikot Unah Road in Ukanafun.
The armed men forcefully abducted the victim, speeding off to an unknown destination after seizing his wife's handbag, which contained important documents, including a will, a Power of Attorney, reading glasses, and a mobile phone.
The Abduction and Ransom
The victim recounted to the court how he was blindfolded and taken to an undisclosed location. His captors later demanded a ransom of N50 million from his family, threatening to kill him if it was not paid. Eventually, a ransom of N200,000 was paid on July 10, 2015, through the victim's younger sister.
Following the payment, Elder Mendie was released and dropped off in Bori, Rivers State, from where he reported to the local police station. The Divisional Police Officer then arranged for his transportation back to his community in Ukanafun.
Confessions and Evidence
Police Corporal Mbazigwe Chinedu Friday, 41, attached to Mopol 57, Ukana, Essien Udim Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, admitted his involvement in the kidnapping in his confessional statement. He informed the police that he was contacted by an individual named Felix, whom he knew from Mopol 56 in Ogoni.
According to Friday, Felix introduced another person known as “Different Man,” who claimed an unnamed “honourable” wanted the victim kidnapped over allegations that Mendie had killed his friend. The corporal confessed to driving his Toyota Camry to block the victim’s vehicle, allowing Felix and Isaac to forcefully move Mendie into his car.
He explained that when the Camry developed a fault, he took public transport to Uyo, retrieved his Volkswagen Golf, and returned to continue the operation, transporting the victim to a bush in Ogoni, Rivers State. He also stated that the weapon used in the operation was not an official police firearm and that his accomplices were not police officers.
During a search of his home, authorities recovered:
- One locally made revolver pistol
- Three rounds of 9mm live ammunition
- Five rounds of AK-47 ammunition
- One empty AK-47 magazine
- One wrap of Indian hemp
- CCTV equipment
- Multiple GSM phones
- ATM cards
- SIM packs
- Car accessories
Bus conductor Isaac Eddy Ndeesor also provided a confessional statement, detailing how they waited near the victim’s residence in Ukanafun after being informed Mendie would return from church. Ndeesor admitted to stealing and using the victim’s phone, which ultimately led to his arrest after security agencies tracked the device.
Judgement and Sentencing
In his judgement, Hon. Justice Nsemeke Daniel expressed dismay at the protracted trial, noting that the case, filed in 2016, was only concluded in 2026, resulting in a 10-year delay, which he deemed unacceptable.
The judge dismissed the first defendant’s claims of a frame-up, stating that his explanations were inconsistent and did not affect the substance of the charges. Justice Daniel queried, “How can a Police officer lead a gang of kidnappers to abduct a poor victim returning from church with his wife and family?”
Justice Daniel concluded that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and convicted the defendants on charges of conspiracy, kidnapping, and unlawful possession of firearms. The judge sentenced them to five years imprisonment each for conspiracy, seven years imprisonment each for unlawful possession of firearms, and death by hanging, declaring: “you shall be hanged by the neck until you be dead. May God have mercy on you.”