Court sentences four to death for kidnapping ExxonMobil worker

An Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Uyo has sentenced four men to death by hanging for the kidnapping of a 62-year-old retired ExxonMobil staff member, Idongesit Demas Udom, and the amputation of his hand after collecting a ₦5 million ransom.

The convicts—Chinatu Iwe Abraham, 38, from Isiala Ngwa, Abia State; William ThankGod Sunday, 30; Ubon Monday Ebebe, 30; and Saturday Jonah Udo, 43, all from Idung Nneke in Ukanafun Local Government Area, were found guilty on three counts of conspiracy, kidnapping, and wounding with intent to maim, disfigure or disable.

Justice Gabriel Ette delivered the judgment on Wednesday after a four-hour reading, holding that the prosecution proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt.

Three other defendants—Kingsley John Akpan, 32; Etimefiok Ime Ezekiel, 37; and Joseph Sunday Etim, 31, were discharged and acquitted due to a lack of sufficient evidence linking them to the crime.

During the trial, the prosecution called five witnesses, including the victim, while all seven defendants testified in their defence.

Udom told the court that the events leading to his abduction began on December 20, 2016, following a dispute over an attempt by the second convict, William ThankGod Sunday, to organise a second “cultist carnival” in the village.

The elders opposed the event after a billboard advertised activities such as smoking, drinking and eating competitions, citing concerns about youth corruption.

A meeting at Udom’s residence, where he served as administrator of the Royal Family and President of the Idung Nneke Development Association, resolved that the carnival should not be held. The matter was reported to the Divisional Police Officer in Ukanafun, who deployed officers to stop the event.

The intervention, the court heard, angered the second convict, who allegedly blamed Udom for his loss in a subsequent village youth leadership election and sent threat messages to the village head. Udom testified that he did not take the threats seriously, noting that he had previously helped secure the convict’s release from detention in Abia State.

According to evidence before the court, the second convict later convened a meeting on March 16, 2017, with accomplices and recruited kidnappers from Abia State to abduct Udom after local criminals declined to target him due to his standing in the community. The victim was eventually kidnapped, a ₦5 million ransom was paid, and his hand was amputated.

In sentencing, Justice Ette imposed seven years’ imprisonment on each convict for conspiracy, death by hanging for kidnapping, and three years’ imprisonment for wounding with intent to maim. While pronouncing the death sentence, the judge said, “May the Lord have mercy on your souls.”

The convicts pleaded for leniency during allocutus, but the court upheld the penalties prescribed by law. Security was tight around the court premises during the proceedings.

Udom, now in his 70s, attended the judgment and appeared visibly relieved that justice had been served.