A High Court in Minna, Niger State, has sentenced a 47-year-old man, Zingfa Nanboi, to 17 years in prison for armed robbery and attempted murder.
Delivering judgment, Justice Balkisu Gambo Yusuf ruled that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt, finding the defendant guilty of criminal conspiracy, attempted culpable homicide, and armed robbery.
The case dates back to May 22, 2022, when Nanboi and an accomplice, identified as Frank Moses (still at large), allegedly attacked a commercial tricycle rider, Adamu Saidu.
According to court proceedings, the victim picked the two men from Obasanjo Complex in Minna on their way to Maikunkele. Along Airport Road, Nanboi reportedly strangled the rider with a cable, gagged him, and pushed him out of the moving tricycle, leaving him unconscious by the roadside.
The victim later regained consciousness in a nearby bush and was rescued the next morning by a passerby.
During the trial, the prosecution presented five witnesses and submitted key evidence, including the defendant’s statement and an audio-visual recording.
Despite pleas for leniency from the defence, the court handed Nanboi 10 years for armed robbery and 7 years for attempted culpable homicide, ordering that the sentences run consecutively without the option of a fine.
The court also ruled that the sentence would take effect from the date the convict was first remanded in custody.
