TheCable

Yunusa Dahiru, the man convicted and sentenced to 26 years in prison for kidnapping Ese Oruru, a teenager, has regained his freedom.

The ex-convict had kidnapped Oruru — who was 14 years old at the time — from Bayelsa in August 2015. He took her to Kano state where she was converted to Islam and married off without the consent of her parents.

She was found and eventually reunited with her parents after six months. She gave birth to a baby in May 2016.

The police, in March 2016, arraigned Dahiru on a five-count charge bordering on abduction, kidnapping, unlawful carnal knowledge and sexual exploitation of Oruru.

He was granted bail in the sum of N3 million and two sureties in like sum. The sureties were to be resident within the jurisdiction of the court.

In July, Dahiru met the bail conditions and was eventually released.

On May 21, 2020, Jane Inyang, the presiding judge, found Dahiru guilty on four of five of the charges preferred against him.

On count one, he was found not guilty; on count two, he got a five-year sentence; on count three, he got seven years, and on count four, seven years.

The judge held that the sentences would run concurrently, which meant the convict was to spend seven years in prison.

Dahiru had appealed the judgment and it was also affirmed by the appellate court.

However, he was released on Saturday.

Musbahu Kofar-Naisa, spokesperson, Kano command of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), confirmed the release of Dahiru to journalists in the state.