Police Corporal and Conductor Sentenced to Death for Kidnapping

On October 20, 2023, the Akwa Ibom State High Court sentenced Police Corporal Mbazigw Chinedu Fridai and bus conductor Isaac Eddi Ndeesor to death by hanging for their roles in the kidnapping of Akara Johnson Mendi, a vice principal at a secondary school. The incident occurred on July 5, 2015, when Mendi was abducted by four armed men while returning from church.

The kidnappers demanded a ransom of N50 million, which was later negotiated down to N25 million. The court, presided over by Justice Nsemek Daniel, found both men guilty of conspiracy to kidnap and unlawful possession of firearms.

Fridai, who had been with the Nigeria Police Force since January 2007, admitted to participating in the abduction and was linked to the crime through a confession. Ndeesor, who was 28 at the time of the offense, also confessed to blocking the victim's vehicle and assisting in the kidnapping.

The judgment highlighted the protracted nature of the trial, which began in 2016 and concluded in 2023.