Court Sentences Three To Death For Kidnapping Catholic Priests In Adamawa
Thursday’s judgment marks the seventh death sentence secured by the Department of State Services (DSS) this year.
An Adamawa State High Court on Thursday sentenced three men to death for kidnapping two Catholic priests in February 2025.
Delivering judgment, Justice Christopher Mapeo found Taledo Demiel, Namomai Medan and Mikaila Yusuf guilty of criminal conspiracy to commit kidnapping, kidnapping, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, armed robbery, harbouring a kidnapped person and negotiating to receive ransom for the release of Reverend Fathers Matthew Dutsemi and Abraham Sauman.
The court sentenced the three men to death for kidnapping, armed robbery and other offences.
Thursday’s judgment marks the seventh death sentence secured by the Department of State Services (DSS) this year.
On May 20, 2026, an Ekiti State High Court sentenced Ibrahim Abubakar and Abdullahi Abubakar to death by hanging for kidnapping.
On June 3, 2026, a Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced four men to death by hanging for their roles in the June 2022 massacre of worshippers at St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State.
The convicts were identified as Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Alqasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik and Abdulkareem Idris.
On June 15, 2026, a Katsina State High Court sentenced a female arms courier, Hauwa’u Mukhtar, to death by hanging.
The following day, June 16, a Kogi State High Court sentenced Jibrin Halilu to death by hanging for kidnapping and murdering his neighbour in Obajana, an industrial town in the state.
On June 22, a Sokoto State High Court sentenced three men — Muhammed Yusuf Sallau, Jabbi Ahlaji Yale and Kabiru Muhammed — to death by hanging for terrorism and transporting arms.
More recently, on September 28, 2026, a Sokoto State High Court sentenced Ibrahim Usman, also known as Dan Iyali, to death by hanging over his involvement in the killing of three kidnapped persons in the state.
