Adamawa court sentences three men to death for kidnapping two Catholic priests

A High Court of Adamawa State has sentenced three men to death for kidnapping two Catholic priests. 

The convicts, Taledo Demiel, Namomai Medan and Mikaila Yusuf, were sentenced on Thursday, October 22, 2026 by Justice Christopher Mapeo after being found guilty of criminal conspiracy to commit kidnapping, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, armed robbery, harbouring kidnapped persons and negotiating to receive ransom.

The case involved the abduction of Reverend Fathers Matthew Dutsemi and Abraham Sauman, of the Catholic Dioceses of Yola and Jalingo respectively in February 2025.

Taledo Demiel, a member of the church, was arrested following the rescue of the priests at a criminal hideout.

The latest judgment brings to seven the number of death sentences reportedly secured by the Department of State Services (DSS) in 2026.

The cases involve kidnapping, terrorism, armed violence and the murder of civilians.

On May 20, 2026, an Ekiti State High Court sentenced two men, 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 involvement in the June 2022 massacre of worshippers at St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State.

The four 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, popularly known as Dan Iyali, to death by hanging over his involvement in the murder of three kidnapped persons in the state.