Court admits suspected kidnapper’s phone conversation as evidence

Justice Nkeonye Maha of the Federal High Court, Ibadan, on Thursday admitted in evidence a detailed phone conversation where a suspected kidnapper, Abubakar Abdulazeez, demanded N20 million ransom from the relatives of the businessman.

The judge received the phone conversation alongside other evidence tendered by the Department of State Service (DSS) witness, Mr. Tunde Afolabi.

Afolabi had in his testimony stated that Abdulazeez made a series of phone calls to the family of the businessman to negotiate a N20 million ransom for his release.

He also tendered the SIM card, the dual Itel 14 phone, and the letter written by the defendant as evidence before the court.

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“Our latest investigation about Naima, Abdulazeez’s biological sister, who is the original owner of the phone used in negotiating the ransom, is that she has now married and relocated to the northern part of Nigeria,” the witness stated.

The witness had in February testified that the DSS swung into action after receiving a distress call on March 7, 2024, that the businessman was kidnapped on the Agoare-Saki road.

The judge adjourned the matter till July 8 for the continuation of the trial.

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